The Misadventures of the Little Axis
by Hokuto Uchiha
Summary: In WWII Venice, 7-year-old Ludwig Beilschmidt, who escaped Germany with his family, meets Feliciano Vargas and Kiku Honda. The three children get themselves stuck in a bunch of shenanigans, several of which involve Lui's newborn brother, Gilbert.
1. We Have to Leave! Tonight!

**Chapter 1: We Have To Leave! Tonight!**

In a small house in Munich, there lived a happy family of five: Claus and Elise Beilschmidt; their children, 7-year-old Ludwig and 5-year-old Klara; and Claus' father, Alois, who, for some reason, unknown to Claus and anyone else, called himself "Germania".

The Beilschmidts' lives were happy, despite the times they lived in. But, with every good day one has, something bad almost always follows.

* * *

><p><em>September 20, 1940<em>

Ludwig and Klara walked into the house, coming home early from school. They didn't look too happy; Ludwig had a black eye, disheveled hair and a bloody nose, and was pissed, while Klara, whose shoulder-length, blond hair had grass in it, was crying and kept apologizing to her big brother, even though Lui said she did nothing wrong.

"Lui, Klara, you're home early," a very pregnant Elise said when she heard her children enter. She became worried when she saw what state her kids were in. "Mein Gott, what happened to you?" Elise bent down to eye level with Ludwig and Klara.

"These mean big kids picked on me at school," said Klara. "Then they beat Lui up when he beat them up…and look what they did to my bow, Mommy!" She showed Elise a light blue, torn and dirty ribbon.

"That's horrible!" said Elise.

"They were picking on my baby sister, so they had it coming," Ludwig said, still ticked.

Elise got a wet cloth and started cleaning up Ludwig's bloody nose. "I'm so sorry, children. Maybe I should talk to a teacher, or something?" She turned to her daughter. "Why did they pick on you, honey?"

"I…I called the Fuhrer crazy stupid," Klara said quietly.

"Klara…I don't think you should've said that…" Elise said nervously. "I'm not saying that I agree with those mean kids, but you could've gotten in a lot of trouble."

"But he _is _crazy!" Ludwig protested.

"I know," said Elise. "Lui, hold still, please." She tried to hold another cloth to Ludwig's nose to stop the bleeding.

"But, Mommy, my nose hurts," Ludwig whined, trying to evade his mother.

"I know, but I need to stop your nose from bleeding," said Elise. Klara helped hold Ludwig still while Elise applied the cloth to her son's nose.

Germania came in from something he had to do. His face fell when he saw his grandchildren. "What happened, you two?"

"Some mean big kids picked on Klara, so I beat them up," said Ludwig.

"Then those meanies beat Lui up," Klara said.

"That's not very nice," said Germania. "I'll have to punch those kids' lights out."

"Germania, don't," said Elise. She came back with some more tissues for her son. "Here, Lui." She picked Klara up. "And I'll wash you up, Klara. Okay?"

"'Kay," Klara said. Elise walked off with her, and Germania and Ludwig heard the water running.

"Grandpa, can you beat those meanies up?" Ludwig asked, his blue eyes growing bigger. "Please?"

"Well…" said Germania. "I don't know…"

"Please?" Ludwig pleaded. "There's something I didn't tell Mommy…those kids called her and Daddy bad people."

"Alright, that's it!" Germania said, getting angry. "They're gonna pay!" He put his coat back on, found a hat and put that on, and was about to head out the door. "Lui, give me their names. I'll find them."

"Well, there was Hans—" Ludwig said, but was cut off by his mother, who came rushing in, her hands wet from giving Klara a bath.

"Alois Beilschmidt," Elise said. "Don't you dare!"

"Don't I dare what?" Germania asked.

"If you beat those kids up, you'll get in trouble," said Elise.

"Those brats called you and Claus, _my son and daughter-in-law, the mother and father of my grandchildren, _bad people!" said Germania.

Elise sighed. "Still…I won't have you getting arrested and put in prison."

"Fine," Germania said and sat down in a huff.

* * *

><p>Claus came home an hour later.<p>

"Claus, you're home late," said Elise.

"Sorry about that; I got held up at work," Claus replied. He sat down at the table, and everyone began to eat. "Boy, have I got some news for you guys."

"What is it?" Ludwig asked.

"My boss told me that we're being investigated for treason," Claus said. He wasn't very happy. "He threatened to have all of us arrested…and sent to Auschwitz…if he finds out we hid people! How, exactly, are we traitors?"

"We're not," said Germania. "We saved people's lives, didn't we?"

"Lui and Klara were sent home early today," Elise said.

"Why?" a confused Claus asked.

"'Cause some mean kids picked on me and beat Lui up when he beat them up," Klara replied.

"They called you and Mommy bad people, Daddy," Ludwig said.

"I was going to teach those brats a lesson, but Ellie stopped me," said Germania.

Claus decided he wanted to change the subject. "So, Ellie, how's our baby?"

"He's kicking a lot," said Elise. She smiled.

Claus beamed at his wife. Only a month and two weeks left to go, and their baby would be brought into the world! "Oh, Ellie…can I talk to you alone, please?"

"Uh, sure," said Elise. She and Claus left the table and went into their room to talk.

* * *

><p>"Listen…" said Claus. "I didn't tell you this at the table because I didn't want to worry my father or the children."<p>

"What's wrong?" Elise asked.

"You know the Gekkostate, those people we went to for money…for our family?" Claus asked.

"Yes," said Elise. "Why?"

"They…well, they came to me, demanding that we pay up in two days," said Claus. "This was another reason I was late in coming home."

"But we can't pay them back in _two days_!" Elise exclaimed. "We've got two children to feed, and another baby coming soon!" She felt her stomach for another kick from her unborn son and spoke soothingly to the baby. "It's okay, my baby, nobody's gonna hurt us."

"We _have_ to pay them," said Claus. "Listen…they know about our child coming soon."

"You better not be thinking of giving them—" Elise said angrily.

"No, no, never!" said Claus. "Those men said that if we can't pay them the money in time…" He sighed. "…then…they'd…take our child once he's born."

Elise covered her mouth. "No…No! They're not getting our son."

"I know," said Claus. "Don't worry, I'll think of something." He and Elise went back to join the family at the table.

* * *

><p>After everyone was finished eating, the family was sitting around, laughing and talking. The day had gotten a little better…until they heard a loud knock at the door.<p>

"I'll get it," Ludwig said, but Claus stopped him.

Claus stumbled back in shock at who was at the door: Two shady-looking people! "Okay, everyone…pack as much stuff as you can!" He spoke in a whisper. "We're leaving."

"But, Daddy—" Klara began.

"Go with your brother and start packing," Claus whispered urgently to his daughter. He, Germania and Elise all raced to their respective rooms and started throwing stuff together, while the children ran to their room and packed.

"Claus, we can't forget the baby's things, too," said Elise. She was holding up some hand-me-down pajamas, and a blanket.

"Put them in," Claus whispered.

Elise put the baby's stuff in a sack full of whatever stuff she was able to gather together.

The door to the house broke down, and footsteps were heard coming closer.

"Quick, out the window," Claus whispered. He was about to climb out the window himself, when he heard the voices of the men behind him. Claus turned around, and sure enough, there were two men facing him. One of them was about 29 years old or so. He had brown hair and gray eyes, and he was wearing a military uniform; his name was Holland Novak. The other was approximately 45 years old—maybe older—and he had black hair and gray eyes. This man sported a mustache, and wore a heavy coat and hat, both of which were blue and white; he was known as Ken-Goh. Both men were glaring at Claus.

"Hello, Claus," Holland said.

"What do you want?" Claus asked. "You gave me and Ellie two days to pay you back!"

"We want our money _now_," said Ken-Goh. "Or maybe…we could take your little boy once he's born."

"Like hell!" Claus shouted. He punched both men in the face and hopped out the window. He then joined his wife, father and children and got in the driver's seat of the car.

The men got back up off the floor and looked out the window.

"Hey!" Ken-Goh shouted, seeing Claus and his family driving away. "They're getting away!"

"Come on, let's get them!" Holland yelled. He and Ken-Goh both ran out of the house, got into their truck and chased after the Beilschmidts.

* * *

><p>Ludwig and Klara made themselves the lookouts and were turned around in their seats.<p>

"They're coming!" Ludwig shouted.

"Shit!" Claus said frantically. He drove faster, trying to avoid the pursuers.

Some time later, the Beilschmidts were finally out of Germany, their pursuers behind them.

"They're still behind us," said Klara.

"Why are they coming after us, Daddy?" Ludwig asked worriedly.

"Where will we go?" Elise asked worriedly.

"You remember my friend, Giuseppe Vargas?" Claus asked.

"Jose? Yeah," said Elise.

"We kept in touch after university," said Claus. "He moved back to Venice, and is still living there. We'll go to Venice, and he'll help us out. I'm sure of it."

"Well, okay," said Elise.

The frightened family continued on their way to Venice.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Giuseppe's nickname, Jose, is pronounced "JOE-say", not "ho-SAY". I got the pronunciation from a character's name on the anime _Gunslinger Girl_.


	2. Sanctuary, Arrival in Venice

**Chapter 2: Sanctuary, Arrival in Venice**

The Beilschmidts drove quickly through the dimly lit streets, trying to stick to the darkest areas possible.

"Are they still behind us?" Claus frantically asked his children.

Ludwig and Klara looked out the back window of the car.

"I don't see them," said Ludwig.

"Me neither," said Klara.

Claus, Elise and Germania sighed in relief.

"How long until we get to Venice?" Elise asked. She rubbed where her unborn child was again, trying to bring some sort of comfort to him. "Ssh, it'll be alright."

Claus checked the street they were on. "Uh, not long now, I think."

"Good," said Germania.

Ludwig and Klara sat facing forward, trying to stop worrying about the Gekkostate guys.

Just then, the children looked back and gasped in horror.

"Daddy, they're chasing us again!" Klara said. She looked and sounded like she was going to cry at any moment; this was so frightening for her.

"Do something, Daddy!" an equally frightened Ludwig cried.

Claus swerved the car to another darkened street, successfully avoiding Holland and Ken-Goh.

"Dammit!" said Holland "They got away!"

"We'll get them one day, Holland," said Ken-Goh.

"That was close," said Germania.

"You don't know how right you are," said Elise.

"They're not behind us anymore," Ludwig announced.

* * *

><p>Just a couple hours later, the Beilschmidts were just outside the city of Venice, when the car stopped.<p>

"Oh no," said Elise. "Claus…why did the car stop?"

"I don't know," said Claus.

"We're out of gas, son," Germania said, pointing to the gas meter.

"Shit," said Claus. He hopped out of the car. "Guys stay here; I'm gonna push the car."

"I'll help," said Germania.

"Dad, are you sure?" said Claus.

"Claus Axel Beilschmidt, I'm not so old I can't push a car," Germania said stubbornly. He got out of the car and went to help his son.

Ludwig hopped out as well. "Let me help, too, Daddy."

"Lui, no," said Claus. "Get back in the car, and stay with your mother and sister."

"But—" Ludwig protested.

"Mommy and Klara need you more," said Claus.

Ludwig got back in the car. He appeared over Elise's shoulder. "Mommy?"

"Yes?" Elise asked.

"When's my little brother gonna be born?" Ludwig asked.

"Soon, honey," said Elise. "Just a month and two weeks away."

"Can I talk to him?" asked Ludwig.

"Sure," Elise replied with a smile. "I think he'd like that."

Ludwig put a hand over where his unborn brother was. "Hi, baby brother. Don't worry, I'll protect you from those meanies."

"Hi, baby brother," Klara said, also appearing over Elise's shoulder to talk to the baby. "It's Big Sister."

Ludwig then hopped out of the car, where Claus and Germania were just about to push.

"Okay, Dad," said Claus. "Heave…HO!" The car didn't budge.

Ludwig was trying his hardest to help push the car along, but couldn't; he was only seven, after all.

Claus noticed his son trying to push. "Lui, get back in the car with your mother and sister."

"But, Daddy—" Ludwig said.

"Please get back in the car," said Claus. "This is grown-ups' work."

Ludwig got back in the car without protest.

Just then, Claus and Germania got the car to move. One problem, though: The car was moving too fast!

"Oh, shit!" Germania shouted.

"Oh no! Ellie and the kids!" Claus yelled. Both he and Germania ran to try and catch up with the car.

* * *

><p>"Oh my God!" Elise cried.<p>

Ludwig got in the driver's seat, but couldn't reach the pedals. "Klara, help me! Get the pedals!"

"Right!" said Klara.

* * *

><p>The car sped past some soldiers in blue uniforms. They were Roy Mustang, Alex Louis Armstrong, Riza Hawkeye, Maria Ross, Jean Havoc Maes Hughes and Edward Elric.<p>

"Hey!" Ed yelled at the car.

"That doesn't look good," Ross commented.

"We've gotta help!" said Hawkeye. She and the others ran after the car, trying to grab onto it, but it was no use.

* * *

><p>Claus and Germania ran into Venice, after the car. They were both stopped by Armstrong.<p>

"What do you think you're doing here?" Armstrong bellowed.

"Please, let us through!" Claus said desperately. "My wife and children are in that car! My wife…she's pregnant! Please just let us through!"

"Your family's in there?" Armstrong said. "Oh no! Okay, you can pass."

"Thanks," said Germania. He and Claus continued chasing the car.

* * *

><p>In the car, Ludwig and Klara were trying to get the vehicle to stop.<p>

"Help us!" Elise screamed.

Ludwig and Klara screamed as well, until the car finally stopped at a gas station.

Ludwig breathed really hard, still shaken up.

"That…was scary," Klara said breathlessly.

Claus and Germania ran up to the car, relieved that it stopped. Claus refueled the car, and he and Germania got back in.

"Thank God you guys are alright," Claus said.

"I was so scared!" said Elise.

"Klara and I stopped the car," Ludwig said with a grin.

"You did?" Germania asked, amazed at his grandchildren. "Wow, you two are so brave."

"Thanks, Grandpa," said Klara.

* * *

><p>The family drove quickly to a church and got out. Claus helped Elise out, while Germania carried the children. They walked towards the church's huge, wooden doors.<p>

Claus knocked quickly. "Hello! Anyone in there?"

Elise knocked rapidly. "Hello! Sanctuary! Please, give us sanctuary!"

Footsteps were heard inside. A priest opened the door. "Hello?"

"Please, Father, let us in," Claus said, out of breath from all that happened. "I have a wife, and two young children, and my father. My wife and I are expecting another baby soon. All of us just escaped from Germany. We're in trouble for hiding Jews and other people. Please, help us."

"We need a place to spend the night, until we can get to our friend Giuseppe's house," said Elise. "Please, just take us in for the night, and we'll be gone in the morning."

The priest looked at the family of five, all of them exhausted and frightened. He then smiled and opened the doors more. "Come on in. You all can stay as long as you need."

"Thank you so much, Father," said Germania.

* * *

><p>The Beilschmidts stepped into the church, and the priest showed them to one of the makeshift shelters, where they would stay until they were ready to go to Giuseppe's house.<p>

Claus sighed with great relief. "We're safe."

"Claus," Elise said out of the blue. "All this excitement's made me hungry. I'm craving some Italian food."

"Okay," said Claus. He was just about to go out and ask the priest to bring them some food, when a nun came bearing gifts of pasta and bread.

"There you go," said the nun. "Eat up; you must be hungry."

"Thank you, Sister," Elise said gratefully.

After the nun left, the Beilschmidts wolfed down their dinner.

* * *

><p>The next day, the Beilschmidts arrived at Giuseppe Vargas' house. Claus knocked on the door.<p>

"_I'll get it," _a child's voice called from inside. The door opened, and in the house stood two little boys. The eldest of the two had brown hair and brown eyes and sported a strand of hair on the right side of his head. The youngest boy had light brown hair and auburn eyes, and sported a strand of hair on the left side of his head.

The elder of the two boys glowered at the German family. "What do you potatoes want?"

"Lovino, don't be rude," a woman said; she had the same hair and eye color as the younger boy, and she was holding a baby boy, who looked to be about a week old at the most. She handed the baby to the younger boy, picked Lovino up and smiled at the Beilschmidts. "Hi. Can we help you?"

"Yes," said Claus. "I'm a friend of Giuseppe Vargas. Does he live here?"

"Yes, he does," said the woman. "Jose's my husband."

"Oh, so you're Gabriella?" Claus asked. "He told me a lot about you, and your kids." he looked at the child Gabriella held in her arms. "If this is Lovino, I'm assuming that this boy is Feliciano." He indicated the younger child, who was smiling, who was smiling, then looked at the baby in Feliciano's arms. "And this must be little Savio." The baby—who looked like both his big brothers—opened his eyes and smiled lazily at Claus.

"Yes, these are Lovi, Feli and Savino," said Gabriella. "Come in; Jose's inside."

"Thank you," said Elise. The family stepped inside.

A man who looked a lot like Lovino was sitting and looking at some papers. He looked up when he heard who was in his house and smiled. "Claus?"

"Hey, Jose," said Claus.

"I see you've met Gabby and the boys," said Giuseppe.

"Yes," said Claus. "Oh, this is my family: Elise, my wife; and my children, Ludwig and Klara. And you remember my father."

"Hello, Jose," said Germania.

"Oh, speaking of father," said Claus. "Uh, where's your dad?"

"He's at the market," said Giuseppe. "Feli and Lovi wanted to go with him, but he said he'd be fine by himself today." Giuseppe snickered. "He's probably trying to flirt with some girls."

Claus snickered as well, while Germania shook his head and laughed.

"That Rome," said Germania. "Still the same idiot." Gabriella put Lovino down and cradled baby Savio again.

* * *

><p>Some time later, Giuseppe's father, Alessio "Rome" Vargas, came in, carrying food from the market. "Hey, everyone!"<p>

"Grandpa!" Feliciano said happily. He jumped into Rome's arms, while Lovino ran up and hugged Rome's legs.

"How are my little grandsons?" Rome said, hugging both his elder grandsons. The man then put Feliciano down and picked up and hugged Savio.

"Some potato people invaded our house," Lovino replied.

"They're not invading, fratello," said Feliciano. "They're my friends."

"Get better friends," said Lovino.

"Dad, you remember Claus, right?' Giuseppe said.

"Si," said Rome.

"Well, he and his family are here," said Gabriella.

"They just escaped from Germany, 'cause they're in trouble for hiding people," said Giuseppe. "Oh, and Claus' wife is gonna have another baby soon."

* * *

><p>Later, the Vargas and Beilschmidt families all sat down to dinner. Lovino almost started a food fight with Ludwig and Klara, but Giuseppe and Gabriella stopped him.<p>

That night, the Beilschmidts settled into their new life as civilians in Venice.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Holland and the other Gekkostate members were having a meeting.<p>

"I can't believe we lost the Beilschmidts!" Holland said. He was pissed.

"Do you even know where they are?" a woman named Talho Yuki asked Ken-Goh.

"No," said Ken-Goh. "No idea. They avoided us when they went down a dark road."

"Dammit!" said a man named Stoner.

"We'll get those people to pay up, one way or another," said Ken-Goh.

"Wait," said a teenage boy named Renton Thurston. "Don't they have another baby coming?"

"Yeah," said Holland. "Like I said to Ken-Goh when we were in Munich, we could take their child as payment when he's born."

"Alright," said Eureka. "Good plan, Holland."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>Lovino and Feliciano's baby brother, Savio, is Seborga.

P.S.: "Savino" is a nickname for Savio.


	3. The Birth of Lui's Brother

**Chapter 3: The Birth of Lui's Brother**

_October 11, 1940_

It had been three weeks since the Beilschmidts fled to Venice and were taken in by the Vargas family. Claus and Elise decided to look for a house of their own, and had already enrolled Ludwig and Klara in the same school as Lovino and Feliciano; Ludwig had made a new friend in his and Feliciano's class: a Japanese-Chinese boy named Kiku Honda. Jose had helped Claus get a job at the market where he worked, while Gabriella started helping Elise find fabrics so she could make more clothes for her baby.

* * *

><p>Gabriella and Elise were at the market, doing some fabric hunting. Gabriella had left Savio at home with Rome and Germania.<p>

"So, what are you and Claus gonna name your baby?" Gabriella asked while looking at a soft fabric for Elise's baby's clothes.

"We've got a few names in mind," Elise replied. "Maybe Dieter, or Johan. Or Timothy. We haven't decided yet."

* * *

><p>Later in the day, the two women went to pick their children up from school and came back home to find Rome and Germania both yelling in the kitchen, and Savio crying hysterically.<p>

"Alessio?" Gabriella said. She picked her baby up and coddled him. "There, there, Savino, it's okay."

"Alois…? What the—?" said Elise, dropping her newly-bought fabric.

'AAAAAAHHHHHH!" Rome screamed as he ran away from a spider. "Kill it, Germania, kill iiiiiiiiiit!"

"Calm down, dummkopf," Germania said in an annoyed fashion. He lifted his shoe and chased after the spider.

The spider climbed up the wall and landed on Ludwig's head. The boy screamed hysterically until he started crying for his grandfather to get the spider off.

"Don't worry, Lui, I'll get it," Germania said over Ludwig's cries and screams.

Ludwig shook his head, brushed at his hair and ran around in circles until the spider fell off and back onto the floor. He then cried and hugged Elise. "Mommy, I was so scared!"

"There, there, Lui," Elise said gently. "It's alright; the spider's gone."

Indeed it was. Germania managed to squish the spider with his shoe…finally.

"It's dead," Germania said affirmatively.

* * *

><p><em>October 25, 1940<em>

For the past few weeks, Jose and Gabriella had been helping Claus and Elise look for a house of their own. Finally, they found one, two weeks ago. The house was, as luck might have it, right next door to the Vargas'. The day to officially move in came around.

"Are you sure you want to move out?" Jose asked.

"We really don't mind putting you up," said Gabriella.

"We're sure," said Claus. "Besides, we'll be just next door, so it's not like we're going far away. Thank you for taking us in, it really saved our lives."

"No problem," said Jose. "You're my best friend, so I didn't mind."

The Vargas' helped the Beilschmidts move the little stuff they had with them into their new home.

The house was a small one, with two bedrooms, a bathroom, water closet, kitchen/dining room, and some other rooms. It was a beautiful house, and the family loved it!

"Wow!" Ludwig, Klara, Feliciano and even Lovino said in amazement. They hadn't even seen the inside of this house until that day.

* * *

><p>Later that night, the Beilschmidts were having a housewarming party, with the Vargas' and Hondas in attendance. It was a wild and stormy night, so everyone had to stay inside.<p>

"This is really great, aru," said Mulan Honda, Kiku's mother.

"You found a really great house," said Daisuke Honda, Kiku's father.

"Hey, give Jose and Gabby some credit," said Claus. "They helped us with getting the place." He laughed a little.

"Man, it's really raining outside," Kiku said in disappointment. "I wanted to practice my katana moves."

"Hey, let's go splash in the big puddles," Klara said excitedly.

"I dunno, Klara," Ludwig said. "Mommy and Daddy said not to go out there."

"Oh, don't be such a baby," Klara said. She was about to go to the door, when a flash of lightning appeared. Klara screamed and ran behind her brother.

"Told you," Ludwig said.

Kiku was swinging his katana in the house, when his big brother and sister, eleven-year-old Yao and ten-year-old Chi, came up to him. Yao took the katana away from Kiku.

"Kiku, no swinging your katana around, aru," Yao scolded.

"But, Yao," Kiku whined. "It's not a real katana."

"I don't care, aru," said Yao.

"Mama and Papa don't want you playing with your katana in the house," said Chi. "You could poke someone's eye out."

"Man!" Kiku said. He plopped down in a chair.

Just as everyone was having a good time, Elise fell on the floor. She looked like she was in pain.

"Ellie! What's wrong?" a worried Claus asked as he bent down to tend to his wife.

"Claus…it's here!" said Elise.

"Uh…the pasta?" Rome asked.

Elise got annoyed at that question. "The baby, dummkopf!"

"But…but the doctor said in two weeks," said Claus.

"Well, the baby just said _now_!" said Elise. "And I'm pretty sure _he _gets to choose!"

"Oh, God, oh, God," Claus said in a panic. He picked Elise up and carried her to the couch. There, he laid her down and put a blanket over her.

"Hang in there," said Daisuke. "Relax, I'm a father of six, so I know—"

"Get this thing out of me!" Elise screamed.

"What's wrong with _Signora_ Beilschmidt, fratello?" Feliciano asked worriedly.

"The baby's coming, Feli," Lovino replied.

"Any chance of getting a doctor?" Claus asked Jose and Daisuke.

"In this weather?" Jose said. "Not really."

"Jose's right," said Daisuke. "It's too dangerous to go out there; it's thundering and lightning out there, not to mention the storm's really bad."

Claus sighed and went over to Elise. "Honey…I can't get the doctor, so you'll have to push for me, okay?"

"Okay," said Elise. "Just…get it out of me!"

Ludwig and Klara went over to the couch.

"Kids, go and play, okay?" Germania asked them.

"It's okay, Dad," said Claus. "They're allowed to see what's happening."

Ludwig and Klara went closer to the couch.

"What's going on, Daddy?" Klara asked, looking at her mother, then her father.

"The miracle of birth, Klara," said Claus. He smiled, but then became nervous when Elise kept screaming and pushing.

"I can see the head!" said Chi.

"Yao, Chi," Claus said urgently. "Can you get some warm water?"

"Yes," said the two elder Honda children. They ran off to get warm water right away.

"Lovi, Feli, I need you two to get some clean cloths," said Claus.

"Yes, sir," Feliciano replied and saluted. But the salute was with the wrong hand; Feli used his left instead of his right.

"Uh…Feli…it's the _right_ hand, not the _left_," Ludwig whispered.

"Oh, right," said Feliciano. He then saluted with his right hand, and ran off with Lovino in search of some clean cloths.

"Claus, I can't do this anymore; I'm dying!" Elise screamed.

"Oh no!" said Kiku. "What are we gonna do? She said she's gonna die!"

"It's just an expression!" said a nervous Rome as Yao and Chi came back with warm water, and Lovino and Feliciano came back with cloths.

* * *

><p>The baby finally came out a few hours later. Jose walked in to see how Elise was coming along, and fainted upon seeing the baby coming out of Elise.<p>

"Jose!" Gabriella said as she and her children bent down to the unconscious man.

"Fratello, Papa won't wake up," said Feliciano.

"I'll get 'im," said Lovino. He took Jose by the shirt and slapped his face. "Wake up! Wake the hell up!"

"Huh, what?" Jose said. Then he snapped back to reality and saw Claus and his children tending to Elise.

The Vargas' and Hondas went over to the Beilschmidts, hearing crying coming from their direction. They saw a tired but delighted Elise, an ecstatic Claus and a happy Germania, Ludwig and Klara. All five of them were looking at a newborn baby boy. He had platinum blond hair and red-violet eyes.

"What's his name?" Rome asked softly so as not to scare the baby.

Claus and Elise thought for a minute.

"You know, with all the bad stuff that happened recently…" Claus said as he held his new child. "…our new son just brightened our lives with his presence."

"That's it," Elise said happily. "We'll name him Gilbert."

"Gilbert?" Gabriella asked.

"Yes," said Elise. "Gilbert Wilhelm Beilschmidt."

"Hi, Gilbert," Ludwig said quietly to his little brother. "I'm your big brother, Ludwig."

"Hi, Gilbert," Klara said. "I'm Klara, your big sister."

"Aw, he's so cute, aru!" Yao exclaimed as he smiled at Gilbert.

"Yeah, he is," said Chi. "Isn't he cute, Kiku?"

Kiku stared wide-eyed at the baby being coddled by the Beilschmidts. He then smiled very widely as his dark eyes shone with excitement and happiness. Kiku turned to his parents. "Mama, Papa, can I have Gilbert? He's so cute!"

Daisuke and Mulan looked at each other.

"Uh, sorry, Kiku, but you can't keep Gilbert," said Daisuke. He smiled at how adorable Kiku was being at the moment.

"That's right, aru," said Mulan. "He's Ludwig and Klara's little brother. And you have Kaoru, Mei and Yong-Soo, remember?"

"Oh," said an embarrassed Kiku. He looked over and saw his younger siblings: five-year-old twins, Kaoru and Mei, and a two-year-old Yong-Soo.

* * *

><p>Later that night, the housewarming party was over, and everyone in the Beilschmidt house was asleep. Ludwig and Klara were in their room; Germania in his; and baby Gilbert was sound asleep in Claus and Elise's room, his crib right by Elise's side of the bed. Claus and Elise were both watching their baby sleep, not wanting to miss a moment.<p>

"What do you think he's dreaming about?" Claus asked in a whisper as Gilbert made a tiny fist and pounded on the mattress of his crib in his sleep while making cute baby sounds.

"Probably of being just like his father," Elise said with a smile. She lightly ran her fingers through Gilbert's hair.

Ludwig and Klara came in.

"Mommy, Daddy," said Klara. "Can I sleep with you tonight? I'm scared of the lightning."

"Me, too," Ludwig said. He and Klara walked into their parents' room and sat on the bed. He then saw Gilbert sleeping and dreaming and just kept watching him sleep, while Klara climbed into bed between Claus and Elise. Ludwig kept on watching even when his parents and sister went to sleep. Luckily, the next day was a Saturday, so he and Klara didn't have school.

Despite the raging storm outside, the Beilschmidts' lives were brightened by their new baby's birth.

* * *

><p><em>Early morning, October 26, 1940<em>

The Gekkostate were having an emergency meeting; they were all still in pajamas and rubbing the sand out of their eyes.

"This is urgent," said Holland. "Claus and Elise Beilschmidts' baby boy, Gilbert, was born just last night."

"And you want us to do what?" Renton asked crankily; he really wanted to go back to bed.

"Go to wherever the hell they are now, and grab the baby," said Holland. "Bring him back here, and then we'll keep him as payment of the debt they owe us."

"Right," said the other Gekkostate members. They then went to go back to bed, Holland and Talho included.

* * *

><p>"Holland, I want a burger," a five-months-pregnant Talho said.<p>

"Talho, honey, it's too early," said Holland.

"I need a burger, Holland! Now. Our baby needs food!" said Talho.

"Okay, okay," Holland said and got back out of bed. "I'll get a burger for ya."

* * *

><p>"Don't worry, Gilbert," Ludwig whispered. "I'll protect you from those meanies who chased us. They won't get you, I promise." He leaned closer to Gilbert and laughed when Gilbert's breath tickled his nose.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>_Signora_- Mrs. (Italian)


	4. 5 Months Later, First Mishap

**Chapter 4: 5 Months Later, First Mishap**

Five months ago, the Gekkostate had made plans to try and get Claus and Elise's newborn son. But there was one small problem…Okay, it wasn't a _small _problem, but a problem nonetheless for Holland and his comrades.

* * *

><p><em>March 26, 1941<em>

"What?" Holland exclaimed. "What do you mean you couldn't find the Beilschmidts?"

"Holland, we're sorry," said Renton.

"We tried to find them; we looked all over Europe," said Eureka. "We swear."

"Did you look in France?" asked Holland.

"Why would they be in France, the way it is right now?" asked Yuki.

"Fine, fine. What about Poland?" Holland asked.

"They're not there, Holland," said Renton.

"FYI, Holland, Poland's not a really good place for people on the run to go right now, idiot," said Ken-Goh.

"Well…what about Switzerland?" Holland asked.

"No," said Eureka. "We thought they'd probably go there, but we checked. Nobody in the country has even heard of the Beilschmidt family."

"Damn!" said Holland. "Greece?"

"They're not there, either," said Renton.

Holland ticked off the rest of the European countries one by one…except for one.

"You didn't happen to try looking in Italy, did you?" Holland pressed.

"No, we haven't," Renton replied.

"Go there, and find them," said Holland. "If they're there, get that brat of theirs and bring him here."

"Right," Renton and Eureka said. They walked off and got in a car, on their way to Italy.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in Venice, Ludwig, Feliciano and Kiku were running around, playing and laughing.<p>

"Catch me if you can!" Ludwig called to his friends. He ran as fast as he could, and almost got run over by Renton and Eureka's car. "Hey, watch it!" He gave the two Gekkostate members the finger and ran back to his friends.

"Where do you think they're going, Kiku?" Feliciano asked as he, Ludwig and Kiku watched Renton and Eureka drove away.

"Dunno," said Kiku.

"Let's follow them," said Ludwig. "They're heading to my house."

The Little Axis (as they called themselves) ran to the Beilschmidts' house, where Elise was home with Gilbert.

* * *

><p>Elise was sitting outside the house, baby Gilbert in her arms. The boy was five months old now, and he was as happy and healthy as ever.<p>

"How's my little Gilbo?" Elise said happily, bouncing a laughing Gilbert on her lap. "Are you a happy boy? Yes you are—" She looked up and saw Klara running towards her, scared and confused. "Klara! What's wrong, honey?"

"Mommy, those guys are here!" Klara said. "I thought we lost them! They're here, and they're coming to our house!"

"Oh no," said Elise. Gilbert started crying, probably sensing his mother and sister's fear. "Ssh, it's okay, little Prussia." Elise gently rocked Gilbert in order to calm him. "It'll be alright." She turned to Klara. "Klara, get in the house. Come on."

Elise and Klara went into the house, Ellie keeping a protective hold on the baby.

Renton and Eureka stopped at the Beilschmidts' house and got out.

"Come on, Eureka," Renton said. He and Eureka went up and kicked the door down. They saw Elise and Klara huddled together with the baby.

"Mrs. Beilschmidt, give us the child," said Eureka. "Now."

"No!" Elise exclaimed.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be, ma'am," said Renton. He went up and snatched Gilbert from Elise's arms.

"No!" Klara shouted as the Gekkostate members walked away with her baby brother. "Give Gilbo back! He's my little brother!"

"Sorry, kid, but this is all your parents' fault," said Renton.

"No!" Elise cried as Renton and Eureka drove away with Gilbert. "Gilbo! No! No, no, no!"

* * *

><p>Ludwig, Feliciano and Kiku were all running as fast as they could. They accidentally ran into a barn, where they scared horses, chickens and other farm animals.<p>

"Hey!" shouted a farmer by the name of Shikamaru Nara. "You little! You guys are such a drag!" He tried chasing after his animals, but couldn't keep up with them.

"Yaaaaahhhhh!" Feliciano screamed. "Lui! Look!"

"Huh?" Ludwig said. He looked up and saw Renton and Eureka with his brother. "No, Gilbo! Give him back!"

Renton and Eureka were smiling at a job well done.

"That wasn't all that hard," said Renton.

"You said it…Renton, look out!" Eureka said.

A bunch of Shikamaru's animals ran into the middle of the road, distracting Renton and Eureka. Eureka, who was holding Gilbert, accidentally threw the child into the air.

"Gilbo!" Ludwig cried. "I've got you! I got you, little bro, don't worry!"

Gilbert wailed as he was thrown into the air. Ludwig caught him.

"Let's get out of here, Renton!" said Eureka.

"Good idea!" said Renton. "Fuck the stupid baby, I don't wanna be killed by these animals!"

The Gekkostate duo retreated, knowing full well that Holland would be disappointed in them for failing to bring him Claus and Elise's child.

Gilbert was still crying, not knowing that his big brother caught him. He was still scared from being thrown into the air.

"Ssh, it's okay, Gilbo," Ludwig said softly as Shikamaru got his animals back onto his land. He held Gilbert close. "It's alright, Big Brother's here." Gilbert stopped crying and whimpered until he looked up and saw Ludwig cradling him.

"It's okay," Ludwig said gently. "I'm sorry those meanies got you. I'll take you home."

* * *

><p>Ludwig, Feliciano and Kiku got back to the Beilschmidt house fifteen minutes later, Gilbert in tow. They walked into the house, where they saw Elise and Klara crying.<p>

"Mommy?" Ludwig asked. "What's wrong?"

"Lui, I'm sorry, those guys took—" Elise began, then looked up and saw Ludwig with Gilbert in his arms. "Gilbo! Oh, thank God, Gilbo, you're okay!"

"Gilbo's okay!" Klara said happily.

Elise ran up and hugged both Ludwig and Gilbert.

"Those meanies threw Gilbo in the air, and made him cry," Ludwig told his mother.

"That's not very nice," said Elise. "I'm just glad you and Gilbo are safe."


	5. Summer Holidays, Second Mishap

**Chapter 5: Summer Holidays, Second Mishap**

_June 16, 1941_

"Okay, bambinos, have a good summer," the teacher called out to the Year 2 students at the San Francesco _Scuola Primaria_ as they rushed out the doors and into the outdoors. It was the start of the summer holidays.

* * *

><p>"Come on, guys," said Feliciano. "Let's go to the lake."<p>

"Yeah!" Kiku and Ludwig said excitedly.

* * *

><p>Ludwig first ran back home and dropped his school bag off near the front door. His now eight-month-old brother was sitting on the floor, playing with Elise and Klara, who had just come home from <em>scuola dell'infanzia<em>.

Gilbert looked up from chewing on the ear of his teddy bear and squealed happily when he saw Ludwig.

"Hey, Gilbo," Ludwig said, smiling as he picked Gilbert up and hugged him. He turned to his mother. "Mommy, can I go to the lake with Feli and Kiku?"

"Sure," said Elise. "As long as you take your sister with you."

Ludwig sighed inwardly, not really wanting to bring a girl along with the boys. "Alright. Come on, Klara."

"'Kay," Klara said. She and Ludwig went to join Kiku and Feliciano.

"Lui, what's your sister doing here?" Kiku asked.

"Klara's gonna come to the lake, too," Ludwig replied.

"Okay," Feliciano said with a smile.

"Come on, let's go," said Kiku.

"Hold it, _fratellino_," Lovino said, running up to the children. "I'm coming too."

"Okay, Lovi," said Feliciano.

The Little Axis, plus Klara and Lovino, all ran to the lake. The boys all took off their clothes and jumped in. Klara just stared first at their clothes, then at her brother and his friends, who were skinny dipping.

"Klara, come in," Ludwig called. "The water's great, Sis!"

Klara shook her head. "No way. I don't wanna get naked like you."

"Oh, come on," Lovino whined. "Nobody's gonna see you." Surprisingly, Lovino didn't call Klara "Potato", or anything insulting, because he was kinder to women and girls than he was to men and boys.

"I don't wanna," Klara said and crossed her arms. "You shouldn't go skinny dipping."

"Come on," said Ludwig. "It's fun."

"Well…" Klara said hesitantly. "Okay." She was about to remove her clothes to go swimming as well, but screamed and started running when a bunch of bees started to come after her. "Lui, help me! Bruder!"

Ludwig had just dunked Feliciano under water, then got dunked under by Lovino, as punishment for pushing Feliciano under. He heard his sister screaming for help. "Lovino, get off me! Klara's in trouble!" He forced Lovino off him and got out.

Ludwig saw a bunch of bees chasing after Klara. "Klara! Don't worry, I'll get them away!" He put his underwear and pants on first, then charged at the bees with a stick. "Get away from my sister, you bees!" Ludwig swatted at the bees, until they got angry and started coming after him. "Shit."

"Uh…Lui…RUN!" Klara shouted. She and Ludwig started to run. Kiku and the Vargas brothers got out of the water, re-dressed, and ran with the Beilschmidt siblings.

* * *

><p>All five children were running through the town, screaming as the swarm of bees chased them. They ran right past Talho and Stoner, who were on their way to try and get Gilbert again.<p>

"What's that all about?" Talho asked.

"No idea," said Stoner. "Crazy kids."

"Let's keep going. We need to get the baby," said Talho.

They weren't going to get Gilbert, however, because the bees decided to make the two Gekkostate members their newest targets before chasing the kids again.

"What the hell?" Stoner exclaimed, flailing his arms. "Where did these bees come from? Talho, help me! GAH!"

"Oh my God!" Talho exclaimed as the bees descended on her as well. She tried shooing them away, but it didn't work. She and Stoner kept on screaming until the bees stung them, and they ended up having to drive back to the Gekkostate headquarters.

The bees continued chasing after the children, eventually chasing a thirteen-year-old boy by the name of Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke screamed for his friend, Naruto Uzumaki, to help him. Naruto tried, but failed to get the bees, as they stung him, too.

* * *

><p>The children ran back to their respective houses. Ludwig and Klara ran back into their house, panting as they slammed the door and closed the windows so the bees wouldn't get them. Ludwig dropped his shirt, socks and shoes on the floor.<p>

"Lui, Klara, what happened?" asked Claus. He was taking a turn feeding Gilbert a bottle of warm milk to help him fall asleep.

"Bees…" Ludwig explained. "They…tried to sting Klara. I tried to fight them…they chased us…"

"I think…they…stung…a bunch of people," Klara said. "Those guys…they got stung, and went back to their boss."

"They were here again?" Elise asked in alarm as Germania patted Gilbert's back until the baby let out a small burp.

"There, Gilbo," said Germania. "Are you a happy baby?" Gilbert giggled happily and snuggled into Germania's shoulder.

"Yeah," Ludwig and Klara answered.

"But they can't get Gilbo, 'cause they're all covered in bee stings," Ludwig said triumphantly.

"That's good," said Claus. He ruffled his children's hair. "You two are so brave to beat those guys."

"Thanks, Daddy," Ludwig and Klara said with grins on their faces.

* * *

><p>One thing was for sure: The Beilschmidt siblings and their friends wouldn't be going to the lake for at least a couple of days!<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>The following translation are in Italian:

_Scuola Primaria_- Elementary School, or Primary School

_scuola dell'infanzia- _nursery school

_Fratellino- _Little brother

P.S.: Kids in Italy sometimes go to nursery school (or preschool) from about 3 to 5 or 6 years old. They then start Elementary, or Primary, school when they're 6 or 7.


	6. Summer Holidays, Third Mishap

**Chapter 6: Summer Holidays, Third Mishap**

_June 22, 1941_

It had been six days since the Beilschmidt and Vargas siblings, and Kiku, were almost stung by a swarm of bees; it had also been six whole days since they inadvertently beat the Gekkostate at their own game for the first time.

Now they were able to go back to the lake, and swim for as long as they wanted! Turned out that there was a bees' nest nearby, and the children had disturbed it.

* * *

><p>"Hey, did you hear?" Gabriella asked Elise as she tried holding a fussy Savio still in order to change his diaper. "Savino, honey, please hold still for Mama. No, don't squirm, please. Pretty please? Hold still for Mama?"<p>

Feliciano tried helping. "Fratellino, please hold still. Mama needs to change your diaper."

"Yeah," said Lovino. "You need to get clean, stinky."

Savio stuck his tongue out at Lovino and threw the clean diaper Gabriella had lain out for him at his eldest brother.

"Hey!" said Lovino. His face was turning red.

"Savino, that's a no-no," Gabriella said in a gentle yet scolding manner. She picked the diaper up off the floor and—with Feliciano's help—held Savio still.

Elise tried getting Gabriella back on the previous subject when the Italian was done putting the diaper on Savio. "Did I hear what?"

"Oh," said Gabriella. "Did you hear that we and Romania just declared war on the Soviet Union?"

"Really?" said Elise. "No, I didn't hear about that." She was bouncing a fussy and teething Gilbert on her knee while he whined and chewed on his rattle. "Ssh, it's okay, Little Prussia. It'll stop." She turned back to Gabriella. "Gee…I hope Claus doesn't have to go fight. I mean, what if those Soviets capture him?" She asked this with shock and wide eyes.

"I know what you mean," said Gabriella as Savio was also whining and chewing on a rattle due to teething. "I really, really hope Jose doesn't have to go."

"Mama, what if Papa has to go fight?" Feliciano asked.

"Yeah, then what?" asked Lovino.

"I don't know, boys," said Gabriella. "Let's just pray that your father doesn't have to go into battle." She turned back to her friend. "I mean, can you actually see my Jose in battle?" Gabriella laughed. "_I_ can't; he's not cut out for fighting. Not like Claus."

Elise sighed. "Claus, even though he wouldn't hurt anyone, will fight if he's pissed enough, or if someone messes with me and/or the children."

"Oh, I also heard that Germany just invaded the Soviets," said Gabriella.

Elise paled. "I…I don't know if that was a smart idea. At this time of year…they'd probably be dead."

Gabriella stood up. "Come on, Ellie. I need your help with some shopping. Mulan's coming, too."

"Sure," said Elise. She and Gabriella put Gilbert and Savio on the floor with Lovino, Feliciano, Ludwig and Klara.

"Mommy, can I go play with Is?" Klara asked.

"Sure," said Elise. "I'll see you two later. Be good, okay?"

"You, too, Lovi, Feli," said Gabriella.

"Okay," the four children said.

Elise and Gabriella gave their children hugs and called Francis Bonnefoy and Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, two of Lovino and Feliciano's cousins, over to babysit. Mulan brought Kiku over; she, Gabriella and Elise went to the market to do their shopping. Klara and Isabelle, Francis' little sister, went to play outside.

* * *

><p>"Lui, I'm bored," said Feliciano. He tried occupying himself with watching his baby brother sleep.<p>

"Let's go play outside, then," said Ludwig. He got up, picked up Gilbert, put the baby in his stroller, and walked out the door, pushing the stroller.

"Coming," said Feliciano. He put Savio in his stroller and took him out as well, Lovino, Francis, Antonio and Kiku following behind.

* * *

><p>Ludwig, Feliciano, Kiku and Lovino were laughing and running around outside the Vargas' house.<p>

"Tag! You're it, Potato!" said Lovino.

Ludwig was about to try and tag Kiku, but tripped and bumped into Gilbert's stroller.

"Lui, are you okay?" Feliciano asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ludwig replied.

"Uh, Lui…your brother's gone," said Kiku.

"No he's not," said Ludwig. "He's right…Where's my bruder?" He started to freak out.

"Oh no!" said Antonio. He saw Gilbert's stroller rolling away with the laughing baby still in it.

"Oh mon Dieu!" Francis exclaimed. "Come on, Tony!"

Francis, Antonio, and the Little Axis (except for Lovino, who chose to stay behind with Savio) ran all around town, trying to catch Gilbert.

* * *

><p>Gilbert felt the wind blowing his hair and squealed and giggled with glee at going very fast. He ran over Isaac Dian's feet as he passed.<p>

"Ow!" said Isaac as he clutched his foot.

"Isaac, are you alright?" Miria Harvent, Isaac's girlfriend, asked.

"I'm fine, Miria," said Isaac.

"Excuse us/Coming through," Francis, Tony and the Little Axis said, pushing past Isaac and Miria.

* * *

><p>Gilbert rolled through the market, passing Elise, Mulan and Gabriella unnoticed. Then the baby's stroller hit something, and Gilbert went flying through the air. The eight-month-old boy then landed in a Hungarian woman named Elizabeta Edelstein's shopping bag.<p>

Elizabeta didn't even notice the baby in her bag as she thanked Claus and Giuseppe for the food and walked home.

* * *

><p>"Look!" Ludwig yelled. He pointed out Gilbert's stroller, which was now empty.<p>

"Oh no," said Feliciano.

"You think those guys got him again?" Kiku asked.

"I hope not," said Ludwig.

"Us, too," Francis and Antonio said nervously; they really didn't want to get in trouble for anything happening to their charges.

"We've gotta keep looking," said Ludwig.

"For what?" a female voice behind the boys asked.

The boys all jumped at the voice and turned to see Klara and Isabelle standing right near them.

"What do you hafta keep looking for?" asked Isabelle.

"Uh, Is…why don't you and your friend go play?" Francis asked.

"Not till you tell us what you're looking for," said Isabelle.

"Yeah," said Klara.

"We lost Gilbo," Ludwig said.

"What?" Klara exclaimed. "Those meanies didn't get him, did they?"

"I dunno," Ludwig said hysterically. "But we've gotta keep looking!"

"Okay, okay," said Isabelle. "We'll help."

"No, we'll get him," Ludwig said. "Come on!"

The boys ran around Venice, looking for the baby. The girls followed despite being told to stay put.

"Gilbo! Where are you?" Antonio called.

"Gilbo!" Francis yelled.

* * *

><p>Elizabeta walked into the house she shared with her husband, Roderich Edelstein. "I'm home."<p>

"Hey, Lizzie," Roderich said happily. He kissed his wife, and helped her with setting the groceries down. He then heard some rustling and giggles in Elizabeta's bag. "Lizzie…what else did you get other than food?"

"What are you talking about?" asked a confused Elizabeta. "I only bought…Oh my God!" She saw two tiny hands poking out of the bag, grasping for something. Elizabeta looked in the bag and saw Gilbert smiling and laughing.

Elizabeta took the baby out of her bag and held him. "Roddy, look what I found."

"A baby?" Roderich asked. "Lizzie, if you ask me if we can keep this one, the answer's no."

"I wasn't gonna ask," said Elizabeta. "He looks well cared-for, and well-fed, so he must have a family who's worried about him. Don't you?" She talked soothingly to Gilbert and coddled him while the baby laughed.

"So, what do we do?" asked Roderich. "Do we keep him for the night…or take him to the police?"

"Take him to the police, duh," said Elizabeta. "I'd love to keep him for the night, but…well, who's to say his parents won't call the cops, thinking he was snatched?"

"Okay," said Roderich. He went to the door. "Come on, Lizzie."

Elizabeta followed Roderich out the door. The both of them were on their way to the police station.

* * *

><p>Francis spotted the couple with Gilbert. "Guys, I found him!"<p>

"Good," said Antonio.

Francis and Antonio motioned for the Little Axis and the girls to follow.

* * *

><p>Roderich and Elizabeta stopped walking when they saw the mob of children coming towards them.<p>

"Can we help you?" Roderich asked warily when the kids stopped.

"That's our little brother," Ludwig said breathlessly as he pointed to himself and Klara.

"Can we have him back?" Klara asked.

"Of course," said Elizabeta. She handed Gilbert to Ludwig, who put him in the stroller that Francis brought along. The she looked at Ludwig, Klara and Feliciano. "Hey, you three look like these vendors at the market today. Are they your dads?"

"Yup," said Ludwig. "My and Klara's dad's name is Claus, and Feli's dad's name is Giuseppe."

"Why don't we walk you guys home?" Roderich offered. He had just seen Matthieu and Hilda driving by, and had gotten a bad feeling about them. "It'll be safer if we went with you, anyway."

"Okay," said Kiku. "Thanks."

* * *

><p>Roderich and Elizabeta walked the children home.<p>

"Oh, I'm Roderich Edelstein, by the way," said Roderich. "This is my wife, Elizabeta. And you are?"

"I'm Ludwig Beilschmidt, and this is Klara, my sister," said Ludwig. "And the baby's Gilbert."

"I'm Honda Kiku," said Kiku.

"I thought your name was Kiku," said Ludwig.

"My name _is _Kiku," Kiku replied. "Back in Tokyo, we put our last names before our first names."

"Oh," Ludwig said, getting it now.

"And I'm Francis Bonnefoy," said Francis. "These are my cousins, Antonio Fernandez Carriedo and Feliciano Vargas, and my sister, Isabelle."

"My big brother Lovino and I have a little brother named Savio," Feliciano said excitedly. "He's cute."

"Oh, here's Feli's house," said Antonio. "Thanks for walking us home."

"No problem," said Elizabeta. "Bye."

The children waved goodbye to Roderich and Elizabeta, and went into the house.

* * *

><p>"Good, you found Gilbert," Lovino commented as he kept trying to keep Savio entertained.<p>

"Phew!" said Francis. "That was close. I thought we really lost Gilbo there."

"You said it," said Antonio.

Ludwig and Klara were cuddling their baby brother.

"I'm sorry I pushed your stroller, Gilbo," Ludwig said.

Gilbert just made baby noises, demanding more cuddle time. He wasn't the least bit mad at Ludwig for what happened earlier.

* * *

><p>When Elise, Gabriella and Mulan returned from their shopping, Elise and Mulan took their kids home. Claus came home later from his market job and spent time playing with the kids and making sure Gilbert was protected from the Gekkostate.<p>

Ludwig, Feliciano, Kiku, Francis and Antonio told each other not to tell their parents what had happened, because it was a little embarrassing.

Another good thing that happened that day: Claus and Giuseppe didn't have to go to war, like their wives and kids had feared!


	7. Christmas! Yay!

**Chapter 7: Christmas! Yay!**

_December 25, 1941_

December 25 was one of Lui, Feli and Kiku's favorite times of year: Christmas Day! A time of…food, presents, fun, and other stuff.

* * *

><p>"Wake up, wake up!" Ludwig and Klara shouted. They shook Germania until he woke up.<p>

"What is it?" Germania asked groggily.

"It's Christmas!" Klara said.

"Time for presents!" said Ludwig. He was now holding a now one-year-old Gilbert.

"Pwussha!" Gilbert chirped. That was pretty much all he was saying. The toddler clung to his big brother.

Ludwig and Klara jumped up and down on their grandfather's bed. "Presents! Presents!"

"Okay, okay, I'm up," Germania mumbled. He got out of bed and followed the children into the living room, where there was a nicely-decorated Christmas tree.

Claus and Elise came out of their room, looking as tired as Germania.

"What's going on?" Claus asked.

"Mommy, Daddy, it's time to open presents!" Klara said. She and Ludwig pulled their parents towards the tree.

"Mama! Dada!" Gilbert said. He jumped up and down, reaching for both his parents.

"Aw, you want up, Little Prussia?" Elise asked. "Okay." She picked Gilbert up, then sat down near her eight-and-six-year-old kids.

"Hey, here's one for me," Ludwig said happily.

"Open it, son," said Claus.

Ludwig tore the wrapping paper off his present and pulled out a stuffed dog. "Wow! I love it!"

"Santa knew you'd like it," said Elise as she tried keeping Gilbert from grabbing her hair.

"Me next, me next!" Klara said as she grabbed a present and tore it open, revealing a doll with a smiling face, a blue dress, and brown hair in pigtails. "This is the doll I wanted!" Klara hugged the doll tight, then noticed something else. "There's a present for Gilbo, too."

"I wonder what it could be," Germania said.

Claus and Elise tore open the wrapping, making sure Gilbert didn't take any of the paper and eat it. Then they pulled out a huge stuffed bear.

"Look what Santa brought you, Little Prussia," Claus said as he showed his youngest child the stuffed animal.

Gilbert squealed happily as he climbed on top of the bear, hugged it and lay down on it.

Suddenly, Germania got up and went to his room. When he came out, he held a box with no wrapping and holes punched into it. There were some sounds coming from the box.

"What is it, Grandpa?" Ludwig asked.

"Open it," said Germania. "It's a surprise."

Ludwig and Klara opened the box, and a German Shepherd puppy popped its little head out. The puppy gave a small bark and licked the kids' faces.

"A puppy!" Klara exclaimed. "Aw, he's so cute!" She took the puppy out of the box and placed him in between her and her brother.

"We knew you'd like him," said Germania. "And guess what? You guys get to name him."

"How 'bout Venice?" Klara suggested. "Or Schnitzel? Or how 'bout Pasta?"

"Nah," said Ludwig. "I've got a cool name for him. Blackie."

The puppy barked happily at the name Ludwig gave him.

"Blackie it is," said Claus.

"Can Lui and I bring Blackie to school when we go back?" Klara asked.

"I don't think so," said Elise. "They don't allow pets in school."

"What about bringing Gilbo?" asked Klara.

"Sorry, but I don't know if Gilbo would like going to real school right now," said Claus. He looked at Gilbert, who was still lying on his big teddy bear.

Ludwig looked out the window. "Those meanies haven't showed up here yet."

"Maybe they finally got tired of going after Gilbo," said Elise.

"I hope so," Germania commented.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back at the Gekkostate headquarters, the Gekkostate members were enjoying the Christmas holidays, too.<p>

"It's nice to take a break from trying to get that baby," said Talho. "After all, it's Vivi's first Christmas, so we should spend it with her." She looked at her and Holland's ten-month-old baby girl, Vivi, who was to keep herself from falling by holding onto Gonzy; little Vivi was trying to walk.

"Yeah," Holland said. He leaned over and kissed Talho.

"Can we take the rest of the month off from that?" Eureka asked. She took a drink of sake.

"Yeah, can't we hold off until after New Year's?" asked Renton. "Hey, Stoner, I want a beer! And give me the good stuff."

"Here," said Stoner. He tossed Renton a beer.

"Yeah, sure," Holland said lazily. "In the meantime, I'll enjoy my happy time with Talho."

Vivi babbled at her dad.

Holland looked over at Vivi. "Don't think I forgot about ya, Vivi. You play with Grandpa Gonzy, 'kay?"

"Wait...I don't want this kid puking on me again!" Gonzy said in protest as Vivi tugged on his shirt and made all kinds of baby noises.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Vivi would be ten months old in this story because (according to the One Piece Wiki page) her birthday's February 2, which would make her, like, three months and two weeks younger than Gilbert.


	8. Lui's Birthday Bash

**Chapter 8: Lui's Birthday Bash**

_January 18, 1942_

Ludwig woke up on a beautiful Sunday morning—his ninth birthday—and went to join his family for breakfast.

"Mommy, Daddy, Lui's coming!" Klara called as she ran to the kitchen.

"Klara…" Ludwig said. He became confused at his little sister's behavior. "What's with her?"

* * *

><p>Klara was in the kitchen, whispering to Claus and Elise. "He's coming out of our room! Hide the stuff, or the surprise'll be spoiled!" She helped her parents put Ludwig's present away and hide the cake that Elise had just started to make.<p>

But there was one small problem: Gilbert was trying to eat the batter!

Gilbert stuck his hand in the chocolate batter and pulled it out, laughing with glee. His whole hand was literally covered in chocolate. Gilbert put his hand in his mouth and tried getting his other hand covered in the chocolate as well.

"Gilbo, no," said Klara. She took the bowl of batter away from her baby brother, whose cheeks puffed out in frustration at not being able to eat the delicious-tasting stuff.

Elise looked over at her youngest child and saw that his chocolate-covered hands. "Oh no, Gilbo. Now you're gonna have to get a bath."

"Pwussha!" Gilbert said as his mother wiped his hands clean.

Ludwig came into the kitchen. "Mom, Dad, what's going on?"

"Uh…nothing, son," said Claus.

Germania came into the kitchen. He looked like he had been killing cockroaches over at Rome's place for the umpteenth time. "Lui, why don't you…uh…go play with Kiku and Feli?"

"Okay," said Ludwig. He went out the door just as Gilbert was making baby noises, demanding that Lui pick him up and cuddle him.

Gilbert stood holding onto his mother's skirt, looking a little upset. "Pwussha…Wes…up…"

"Aw, it's okay, Gilbo," Germania said gently. He picked up the toddler and bounced him up and down on his knee. "Big Brother will be back."

"Germama," Gilbert said happily as he clung to his grandpa; the baby was trying to say "Germania".

* * *

><p>Kiku and Feliciano were playing outside Feliciano's house, when they saw Ludwig coming up to them.<p>

"Hey, guys!" Ludwig said.

"Lui, you're here, you're here!" Feliciano said and latched onto his friend.

"Feli, get off," Ludwig whined.

"Lui, can you go fishing with us?" Kiku asked.

"Sure!" said Ludwig. "Just let me get my pole."

"That won't be necessary," said Kiku. He pulled out another pole. "Yao said I could borrow this."

"Thanks," said Ludwig. "I'll just tell Mom and Dad where—"

"Your grandpa said it was okay," said Feliciano. "So you don't need to worry. Plus, you wouldn't wanna spoil—" He got cut off when Kiku covered his mouth.

"Shut up, big mouth," Kiku whispered.

Feliciano nodded, and Kiku uncovered the Italian's mouth.

"Let's go,' said Kiku. "I've got plenty of bait for everyone."

The Little Axis went off to go fishing. Germania had told Feliciano and Kiku about the surprise party the family wanted to throw for Ludwig, and so asked the two to take him fishing for at least a couple hours. Kiku and Feliciano agreed to this; they both wanted their best friend to have a great birthday. Plus, they knew Lui would bring them to the party.

* * *

><p>The trio arrived at the bank of a lake and got their poles ready for fishing.<p>

When Ludwig cast his pole into the clear, blue water, he thought he saw a girl about his age or a year younger pass by with a friend. The girl had short, blond hair and green eyes, and her friend had shoulder-length, brown hair and blue eyes. Both weren't wearing dresses, though; they were wearing pants and boys' shirts and shoes. Ludwig didn't care about that, though; he just thought they were both pretty.

'_Wait a minute,' _the boy thought. _'They're in my class.'_

The Little Axis' poles each jerked, and the three boys had to struggle with pulling their catches up out of the water. The fish they caught were all pretty big, but Feliciano's was the biggest.

"Wow!" Ludwig said in awe. "You're cool, Feli."

"Yeah, Feli, you're cool," said Kiku.

Ludwig dropped his pole. "Be right back." He ran over to where the two girls were, wanting to talk to at least the blond.

* * *

><p>"Like, I totally hope the war will end soon," said the blond girl. "I totally wanna go back home. I, like, miss Poland."<p>

"Me, too," said the brunette. "I miss Lithuania, and I wanna go back. Those stupid Nazis!"

"I hate them, too," said Ludwig. "They're why my family and I left Germany."

The brunette looked in Ludwig's direction. "Really? That's so sad. Were they after you?"

"Yeah," said Ludwig. "My family and I were hiding people and helping them leave the country, and someone at my dad's work found out and threatened to have us all arrested."

"That's horrible!" the brunette said.

"Who are you?" the blond girl asked, tilting her head.

Ludwig blushed. _'She's talking to me! She's actually talking to…ME! Happy day!' _"Um…I-I-I-I'm…um…Mudgig Beershit…I mean…Ludwig Beilschmidt…hehe…" He looked back at Kiku and Feliciano, who smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

"Ludwig Beilschmidt…" the blond said, looking as though she had seen Ludwig somewhere before. "You're, like, in our class."

"Yup," said Ludwig.

"Why are you red?" the brunette asked.

"Oh…n-nothing…" Ludwig replied. "So…who are you?"

"My name's, like, Feliks Lukasiewicz," the blond replied.

"And I'm Toris Lorinaitis," said the brunette.

Ludwig looked at Feliks and Toris. "You two are boys?"

"Of course we are," said Toris.

"Oh…" said Ludwig. Man, was he embarrassed! He stood up. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Feliks, Toris. Gotta go." He ran back to Kiku and Feliciano, looking down at the ground as his bangs obscured his eyes.

* * *

><p>"So, how did it go?" asked Feliciano.<p>

Ludwig didn't answer, and just kept looking at the ground as his friends got their poles ready.

"Lui?" Kiku asked. "What is it? Don't tell me they rejected you."

"No, it's not that," said Ludwig. "They aren't girls. They're boys. I just mistook boys for girls."

"They're boys?" Kiku and Feliciano asked in surprise.

"I thought they were girls," said Feliciano.

"I was hoping to ask the brunette out," said Kiku.

Ludwig got his pole ready, and then saw Nina Tucker, also from his class, pass by with her father and dog. He brightened up already. "Hey, Nina."

"Hey, Lui," said Nina. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks," Ludwig said. He started blushing when Nina turned away and kept up with her father and her dog.

"Why don'tcha ask her out?" asked Kiku.

"I can't," Ludwig said shyly. "Her scary dad's right there." What he didn't know was that Nina was going to be attending the party his family was setting up for him!

* * *

><p>After two and a half hours of fishing, the Little Axis packed up their poles and bait, and headed home with their catch.<p>

"Come on, guys," said Ludwig. "Let's go to my house."

"Si," said Feliciano.

The boys ran to the Beilschmidt's house and opened the door. Just then…

"Surprise!" Ludwig's family, and his friends from school, exclaimed. "Happy birthday!"

Ludwig dropped his pole and grinned. "Wow!" He looked around at the decorations, presents and food that were set up. "Thanks, guys!"

"Happy birthday, Lui," said Kiku.

"Happy birthday," said Feliciano.

Gilbert ran up to Ludwig. "Wes! Up, up, up! Birfday!"

"Aw, thank you, Gilbo," Ludwig said and picked up his baby brother. He saw Feliciano doing the same with Savio, who was demanding very intensely that Feliciano hold him.

Besides his family, and the Vargas and Honda families, there were others in attendance: Shou and Nina Tucker, plus Alexander, Hiashi, Neji, Hinata and Hanabi Hyuuga; Roderich and Elizabeta (they were invited because they had saved Gilbert from rolling through anymore of Italy); Portgas D. Ace and his three-year-old brother, Monkey D. Luffy; Nojiko and her four-year-old sister, Nami, and their mother, Bellmere; Nico Robin, Roronoa Zoro; Sanji; Usopp; Nina Tucker, her dad and her dog, Alexander; Ciel Phantomhive and his cousins, Edward and Elizabeth Middleford, aunt Frances Middleford and parents, Vincent and Rachel Phantomhive; Renji Abarai and Black*Star, with their respective guardians.

Luffy, Nami, Renji, Black*Star, Ciel, Elizabeth, Savio and Gilbert were set down to play among one another, while Ludwig, Feliciano, Kiku, Lovino, Edward, Nina, Ace, Nojiko, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Robin, Neji, Hinata and Hanabi all ran around the house, yelling and laughing as they did so. Yao, Kaoru, Mei, Yong Soo and Klara joined in as well, with the Little Axis' insistence.

"Cake time!" Elise called as she and Claus brought out a delicious chocolate cake with nine flaming candles on it. Everyone fidgeted as they sang "Happy Birthday", and Ludwig blew out the candles. After everyone gorged on the cake, Ludwig ran over to the pile of presents and grabbed at them tearing the wrapping open like there was no tomorrow. He got a variety of toys and books; one of the toys was a fake machine gun from Germania.

"Thanks, everyone!" Ludwig said when the party was over three hours later.

* * *

><p>It had been a really epic and hectic day for Lui, and he enjoyed every bit of it. One thing still weighed on his mind, though: How could he mistake Feliks and Toris for girls? To him, that just didn't make sense.<p> 


	9. Field Trip

**Chapter 9: Field Trip**

_April 10, 1942_

Ludwig felt something kicking at his bed. "Cut it ouuuuuut. Stop it."

Wake up!" Klara said. She kicked at her big brother's bed again. "Wake up, Lazywig!"

"'s not my name," Ludwig mumbled into his sheets. "And you know it."

"You've gotta get up, bruder," said Klara. "Remember what day it is?"

Ludwig sat up with a jolt. "Friday! The tenth! THE FIELD TRIP!" He jumped out of bed, pushed Klara out of the room and got dressed. Then Ludwig ran to the kitchen, dining room and wolfed down a breakfast of eggs, sausage, milk and toast.

"Wes! Up, up!" Gilbert said. He reached out to his big brother with both hands and smiled.

"Good morning, Gilbo," said Ludwig. He picked up his baby brother and messed his hair up.

Elise checked the clock. "Lui, it's almost 8:30. Shouldn't you and Klara be heading to school?" She then handed Ludwig and Klara two tins. "Here. Don't forget your lunches."

"Oh, right," Ludwig replied. He set Gilbert in Elise's lap, then gave his mother a hug. He and Klara both took their lunches. "See ya later. Come on, Klara."

"Coming," said Klara. She hugged Elise and Gilbert, then followed Ludwig out of the house and to school.

* * *

><p>"Okay, Klara, I'll see ya later," said Ludwig.<p>

"Bye," said Klara.

* * *

><p>Ludwig ran up to Feliciano and Kiku, taking his place with them among the rest of his year 3 class.<p>

"Where are we going?" Feliciano asked.

"To see some monuments, or something like that," said Kiku.

"Cool," said Ludwig.

A teacher came out. "Okay, bambinos, for our trip, we're going to see some of the many monuments in Venice. Now, I want you all to form into groups of three or four. And make sure to stick with your buddies, and don't get lost. Most importantly…no talking to strangers. If you do happen to get lost, find a police officer, or another trustworthy adult, and stay with that person until they can find me. Okay?"

"Yes, _maestra_," the children said.

"Alright, then," said the teacher. _"Andiamo!" _

* * *

><p>The teacher and children went on a double-decker bus and went to a lot of the sites and monuments throughout Venice. The Little Axis stuck together like glue.<p>

"Feliks, Toris," said Ludwig. "Hi."

"Like, hey," said Feliks.

"Hello," said Toris.

"Who's your member?" asked Kiku.

"Nina Tucker," said Toris.

Nina waved to Ludwig, Kiku and Feliciano.

"H-H-Hey, N-N-Nina…" said Ludwig. He felt his face turning red and turned to look out the window.

"What's with him?" asked Nina.

"Dunno," Feliks said and shrugged.

* * *

><p>The bus stopped when the class got to their next destination: Ca' Vendramin Calergi, which was located on the Grand Canal.<p>

Two tour guides, Mayuri and Nemu Kurotsuchi, were leading the kids around.

* * *

><p>"Yaaaahhhh! Stop it!" Feliciano cried.<p>

"Feli, what's wrong?" Ludwig asked as he and Kiku fell behind the rest of the class.

"Viktor keeps hitting me!" Feliciano said.

A little boy from Bulgaria by the name of Viktor Krum was hitting Feliciano on the head with a stick. Two other kids from his group were watching. One of them was laughing, while the other was trying to get him to stop.

"Viktor, quit hitting Feli!" said Ludwig. "Besides, don't you know Bulgaria, Germany, Italy and Japan are allies, idiot?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Viktor said offhandedly. "But something about Pasta Boy's face made me want to hit him so bad."

"You better keep your stupid stick away from Feli!" Ludwig said as Viktor made a move to hit Feliciano on the head again.

"Hahahahahahahaha!" Viktor cackled as he chased poor Feliciano around in circles.

"Stop it right now!" Ludwig and Kiku yelled. They grabbed a hold of Viktor and held him back.

Nemu came up to the kids. "What's going on here?"

"N-Nothing," said Viktor.

"You're lyiiiiing," Mayuri said in a mock singsong voice. He got in Viktor's face, showing his teeth and scary-looking, black-and-white-painted face. "Tell us the truth, little boy. Or face the consequences. And believe me, you won't like the "consequences" in store for little boys who lie to their elders."

"He was picking on Feli," said Ludwig.

"Was he now?" said Mayuri. "That's not very nice, kid."

Viktor shook in his shoes as he and his two buddies went back to the class, along with the Little Axis. Mayuri and Nemu went back to the front of the group, explaining the history of the Ca' Vendramin Calergi.

* * *

><p>"Ca' Vendramin Calergi was home to many prominent people," said Nemu. "It was also the place where the composer Richard Wagner died."<p>

"And," Mayuri added, setting a spooky tone for the lesson. "It is said that Wagner wanted so badly to stay here in this world, that he remained here in spirit and became a Hollow. Rumor has it that Wagner still haunts this place to this day…_as a Hollow_!"

The kids all screamed and latched onto their teacher and each other.

"Lui, Kiku, I'm scared," said Feliciano.

"_Signore _Kurotsuchi, please don't tell that story," the teacher said in a frightened manner. "Y-You're scaring the children…and me!"

Nemu looked at Mayuri out of the corner of her eye.

"Fine, fine," said Mayuri. "I won't tell the story. But it's true! I swear! I saw Wagner as a Hollow myself!"

Ludwig, Nina, Feliks and Toris rolled their eyes. "Riiiight."

* * *

><p>After the field trip, the Little Axis headed home.<p>

* * *

><p>"Hey, son," said Claus. "How was your trip?"<p>

"It was…good," Ludwig said. "The tour guides were a little scary, especially that Mayuri guy."


	10. Movie Night

**Chapter 10: Movie Night**

_May 30, 1942_

"Lui, Klara, are you guys ready?" Elise asked her children.

"Almost," Ludwig replied.

"Lui, I can't tie my shoes," Klara said. She showed Ludwig her shoes, the shoelaces loose.

"Oh, for God's sake," Ludwig mumbled as he bent down to tie his sister's shoes. "You're just like Feli."

"Am not!" said Klara. She stepped on one of her brother's hands when he finished tying her shoes.

"Ow!" Ludwig yelled. "Mom, Klara stepped on my hand on purpose!"

"Kids, stop fighting," said Claus. "Now come on, we're gonna be late for the movie."

"'Kay," Ludwig and Klara said. They walked alongside Germania, Claus, Elise and Gilbert (who was babbling incoherently to his big brother and sister while in his stroller) towards the _Cinema Regale_, where they waited outside to meet up with the Vargas' and the Hondas.

"Where could they be?" Germania asked and tapped his foot impatiently.

"Just be patient, Dad," said Claus. "They'll be here eventually."

* * *

><p>About half an hour to the showing of <em>Mario e Amici di Andare in America<em>, an adventure-comedy family film, the Vargas and Honda families arrived.

"_Ciao_, everyone!" Rome said with glee. "We're here."

"Just in time," said Germania.

"Guys, we're gonna be late for the movie," Ludwig, Kiku and Feliciano said urgently.

"Si," said Lovino. "Let's go!"

* * *

><p>The three families all went inside the theater, unaware of the two people staking out the cinema.<p>

"We've got them now," said Woz.

"Yeah," Jobs agreed. "Come on, let's go report this to Holland and the others."

Woz and Jobs drove back to the Gekkostate HQ.

* * *

><p>"Holland, the Beilschmidts are with friends at a cinema," said Woz.<p>

"Oh, really," said Holland. "Which one? Last I checked, there are a bunch of cinemas in Venice."

"I don't know," Woz replied, embarrassed that he hadn't bothered to check out the name of the cinema.

"There are two nearby the Beilschmidts' home," said Jobs. "There's the Cinema Regale, and the _Teatro Universale_."

"They might most likely be at the Teatro Universale," said Renton.

"Yeah," said Eureka.

"Okay. We'll check out Teatro Universale," said Woz. "Come on, Jobs."

"Coming," said Jobs. He and Woz left the HQ and went to Teatro Universale to look for the Beilschmidts.

* * *

><p>"<em>Mario! Stop jumping up and hugging people!" <em>a male voice scolded the titular character of the film, a sixteen-year-old high school boy named Mario.

"_Ah! So sorry, I'm so sorry, Nazario, I—AAAAHHHHHH!" _Mario screamed. The huge movie screen showed Mario, the protagonist of _Mario e Amici di Andare in America_, running in the middle of New York City from a bunch of oncoming cars.

"_Hey! Move it, bud!" _shouted a young man driving a car. This character was being played by the well-known, Italian-American actor, Firo Prochainezo. _"This ain't a playground!"_

"_Mario! Watch out for that truck!" _Mario's friend, Lucia, exclaimed.

Mario screamed like a little girl as he kept on dodging the vehicles and irritating the drivers.

* * *

><p>Woz and Jobs were inside the Teatro Universale, walking up and down the aisles and looking for the Beilschmidts.<p>

"Claus! Elise!" Jobs whispered loudly.

"SSH!" some of the moviegoers shushed the bald, bespectacled man.

"Where are you, Beilschmidts?" Woz whispered just as loudly as Jobs.

"SSSSHHHH!" other movie patrons shushed Woz.

* * *

><p>"Ha-ha!" the Little Axis, plus Klara, Lovino, Francis, Isabelle, Antonio, Yao, Chi, Kaoru, Mei and Yong Soo laughed at Mario and his friends, and their antics in New York.<p>

"I wanna go to New York and dance in the street," said a now three-and-a-half-year-old Yong Soo. He then got out of his seat and snuck up behind Yao, grabbing his eldest brother's chest. "I own you, Yao!"

"Aiyaa!" Yao screamed and jumped out of his seat. "Yong Soo! Get off me, aru! Mom, Dad, get him off!"

"Yao, Yong Soo, stop it," said an exasperated Chi. _'Do they have to do this NOW?'_ she thought while shaking her head at her brothers.

"Hey, sit down," said one of the movie patrons.

"Yong Soo Honda!" Mulan scolded. She pried her youngest child off her eldest and sat him back down. "Don't grab your brother like that, aru."

"'m sorry, Mommy," Yong Soo mumbled.

"Don't apologize to me, aru. Apologize to your brother," said Mulan.

"'m sorry, Yao," said Yong Soo.

"Apology accepted, aru," said Yao. "Oh, and about dancing in the middle of the street in New York: No, aru. You can't do that."

"But whyyyy?" asked Yong Soo.

"'Cause you'll get turned into a Yong Soo pancake, aru," said Yao. "You don't wanna be a pancake, do you, aru?"

"No," said Yong Soo.

"I wanna go to America and be just like Mario, Nazario and Lucia," Feliciano declared.

* * *

><p><em>Meanwhile, back at Teatro Universale…<em>

"Claus! Elise! Alois! Mudgig—I mean, Ludwig! Klara!" Jobs shouted. He and Woz were standing in front of the movie screen, the movie _Mario e Amici di Andare in America _playing behind them.

"We know you're there! Answer us!" Woz yelled.

"Give us that baby!" Jobs said.

"Yeah! Holland needs him to pay for his pimp stuff!" said Woz.

"He's lost a lot of women thanks to you and that damn bitch of yours not paying up!" said Jobs.

"Like, hey, sit down!" Feliks' mother, Aurelia, shouted; she, Feliks, and Feliks' father, Ignacy, were there to see the movie.

"Like, our son can't see!" said Ignacy.

"Hey. Hey, answer us!" said Woz.

"Sit down!" said Toris' father, Mykolas; he, Toris, and Toris' mother, Rasa, and Toris' little brothers, seven-year-old Eduard and four-and-a-half-year-old Raivis, were also there to see the movie.

"Have some consideration for our son, why don't you?" Rasa shouted at the two Gekkostate members.

"Where are you?" Jobs yelled.

"Hey, are you sure you've got the right theater?" asked Toris.

"Yeah!" said Woz.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. _Mario e Amici di Andare in America. _Beilschmidts!" said Jobs.

"It's, like, playing in two theaters," said Feliks.

"Two theaters?" asked Woz.

"Yeah, there's a 9:00, too," said Eduard.

"Oh…" said Jobs.

"Sorry," said Woz.

The movie patrons all threw stuff at Jobs and Woz, who tried to deflect everything, but couldn't.

"Is there a problem here?" the manager asked when he walked in.

"Like, yeah," said Aurelia. "These guys are totally ruining this movie for my son!"

"Alright, you two," the manager said, glaring at Woz and Jobs. "Get out." Alex Louis Armstrong came inside the dark theater and dragged Jobs and Woz to the door, where they were literally thrown outside and into some mud.

"And stay out!" Armstrong bellowed and slammed the theater door.

Jobs and Woz went to the Cinema Regale, but got thrown out of there as well for making too much noise.

"Great," said Woz. "Just fucking great."

"Holland's not gonna be too happy," said Jobs.

The both of them got back into their car and drove back to the Gekkostate HQ, where they got a very strong reprimand from Holland.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you two botched that one easy mission!" said Holland.<p>

"You blockheads," said Talho.

"Doopids!" Vivi said and pointed at Woz and Jobs, calling them stupid.

"We're sorry," said Jobs. "And we're not stupid, Vivi."

"Yeah, we're really sorry," said Woz.

"Well, now I can't get my women back, because I don't have any pimp stuff!" said Holland.

"Dada...PIMP!" said Vivi.

* * *

><p>The Beilschmidt, Vargas and Honda families exited the Cinema Regale, unaware that they had been right under the nose of the enemy.<p>

"That was fun!" said Giuseppe.

"You said it," said Claus.

"Yeah," said Daisuke.

"We should have a movie night _every_ week," said Gabriella. She looked at Savio, who was in his stroller and babbling along with Gilbert. "What do _you_ think, my little Savino?"

Savio looked up at his mother, smiled and gave a shriek of happiness.

"Savio says yes!" said Gabriella.

"I wanna be just like Mario, Nazario and Lucia," said Klara.

"Hey, maybe we _can _be like them," said Isabelle. "You, me, your big bro, my big bro and cousins, and Kaoru, Mei and their brothers and sister…cool, huh?"

"Yeah!" said Klara. "Kaoru, Mei, wanna be like Mario and his friends?"

"Yeah!" said Kaoru.

"Alright!" Mei cheered.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Translations:

_Cinema Regale- _Regal Cinema

_Mario e Amici di Andare in America- Mario and Friends Go To America _(I made up the movie, just to have a title for it)

_Teatro Universale- _Universal Theater

P.S.: Oh, in the last chapter, I didn't put any translations for the Italian words I used. Here they are:

_Maestra- _Teacher

_Andiamo!- _Let's go!


	11. First Day of School, Talho FAILS!

**Chapter 11: First Day of School, Talho FAILS!**

_September 1, 1942_

"Lui, Klara, time to get up," Elise said gently to her two elder children, who were still asleep in their beds.

"Five more minutes, Mommy," Klara mumbled.

"_Ja_, five more minutes," said Ludwig.

"Have it your way, then," Elise said under her breath. She went to Gilbert's crib and talked softly to him so Ludwig and Klara wouldn't be able to hear. "Okay, Gilbo. I'm gonna put you on Lui and Klara's beds. When I do that, can you jump on them and wake up your big brother and sister for Mommy?"

Gilbert laughed and clapped his hands. "Yeah!"

"You're such a good boy, Gilbo," said Elise. She tiptoed over to Ludwig's bed and put Gilbert on it. "Okay, Gilbo. Honey, I need you to wake Big Brother up for me."

Gilbert nodded and started jumping up and down on the bed, shouting stuff at Ludwig. "Wes! Wes! Up! Up! Up! GEDDUP! Pwusshaaaa! Wes, geddup!" He then stopped jumping and started shaking Ludwig violently. "WES!"

"Wah! Okay, I'm up, I'm up," Ludwig said. He looked around the room and saw Gilbert sitting on his bed, laughing and clapping his hands.

"Big Bwudder! Hiiii!" said Gilbert.

"Aw, hey, Gilbo," Ludwig said as he messed up Gilbert's hair. He couldn't bring himself to get mad at his baby brother for waking him up like he did; the boy was only one and a half years old, after all. He got out of bed, grabbed his clothes and went to get dressed in the water closet.

Gilbert climbed on top of Klara's bed and did the same thing he did to Ludwig. "Klawa! Up! Up! Klawa, geddup! KLAWA!"

Klara jolted awake. "What the…Gilbo?" She saw Gilbert smiling at her.

"Hiiii, Big Sis!" Gilbert exclaimed. "Geddup!"

"Okay, okay," Klara said gently to the toddler as she gave Gilbert a pat on the head and got out of bed.

"Klara, get dressed, and you and Lui come down and have your breakfast," said Elise. She picked Gilbert up and went to the hall. "After all, it's the first day of school, and aren't you starting Year 2?"

"Yeah," said Klara. "And Lui's starting Year 4."

Elise walked out of the room with Gilbert, while Klara got dressed.

* * *

><p>Ludwig and Klara both ran into the kitchendining room, where they joined their mother, grandpa and brother at the table for a breakfast of eggs, sausage, juice, milk and toast. They almost started a food fight at the table when Klara tossed a small piece of toast at Ludwig's head.

"Oi!" Germania said when he saw his grandchildren about to start fighting at the table. "Stop it, the both of you." The elderly man stood in between the two squabbling children until they quieted down.

"Sorry, Grandpa," Ludwig and Klara said.

"You two have a good day," Elise said as she gave Ludwig and Klara hugs.

"'Kay," the siblings said as they gathered their book bags and lunches.

Gilbert ran over and latched onto Ludwig and Klara. "No! Wes, Klawa, don't go! No go! Stay!" He looked at his brother and sister with big, pleading eyes.

"Gilbo, I'm sorry," Ludwig said. "But we've gotta go to school."

"No!" Gilbert said stubbornly. "No school! Play wif me!"

Klara got Gilbert off her and Ludwig. "We'll be back later, Little Prussia." She and Ludwig had to both hug Gilbert in order for him to stop crying over them going to school, since he had had them around for the whole summer.

* * *

><p>"Lui! Lui, wait up!" Feliciano called out as he, Kiku, Isabelle, Kaoru and Mei ran up to Ludwig and Klara.<p>

"Hey, Feli," said Ludwig. "Hey, Kiku—Feli, what's with your shoes?" he noticed Feliciano's shoes were untied.

"Oh…" said an embarrassed Feliciano. "Could you tie my shoes? I can't tie them."

"Mein Gott," Ludwig mumbled as he bent down to tie his friend's shoes for him. _'Feli's nine freaking years old; he should be able to tie his own shoes by now.'_

"_Grazie_, Lui," Feliciano said. He then jumped up and gave Ludwig a hug, which poor Ludwig found embarrassing, especially in front of his little sister.

Klara snickered and whispered to Mei and Isabelle. "Hey, look at my brother and his new boyfriend."

Isabelle and Mei laughed a little.

"What's so funny?" Ludwig said as he carried Feliciano on his back.

"Oh, Lui, the power of _l'amour_ is strong between you and Feli!" said Isabelle.

Klara and Mei laughed at this, while Kaoru looked at Kiku in confusion.

"Kiku, what does l'amour mean?" Kaoru asked.

"I dunno," said Kiku. "Some French thing, I think."

Kaoru started laughing at Ludwig as well.

"Hey, shut the hell up!" said Ludwig. "Feli, get off."

"But I like getting piggyback rides," said Feliciano.

"I'm not your donkey," Ludwig said in a whiny voice. "We're at school. Can you get off my back now?"

"Alright," said a disappointed Feliciano. He hopped off Ludwig's back, but not before Viktor Krum, who was the bully of Lui, Feli and Kiku's Year 4 class as of this day, saw the whole spectacle.

"Oooh," Viktor said in a mocking tone. "LuLu's got a boyfriend!"

"Feli's not my boyfriend, Krum!" said Ludwig. He was turning red from sheer embarrassment. This was NOT how he wanted to start out as a fourth-year student. Not at all.

"LuLu and Feli, sitting in a tree," said Viktor. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes LuLu with a baby carriage! Ha-ha!"

"Shut the hell up, Krum!" said Ludwig.

"Cut it out!" said Nina. She stormed up to the two bickering boys and directed her words at Viktor. "Leave Lui alone, Krum."

Feliks, Toris and Eduard came up to Nina, Viktor and Ludwig.

"Like, yeah, Viktor," said Feliks. "Stop being a total douche."

"Why do you have to be so mean, Viktor?" Toris asked. "Can't you leave Lui alone?"

"No way," said Viktor. He stuck his tongue out at Toris.

"You know, it's not nice to pick on others, Krum," said Eduard.

"'It's not nice to pick on others'," Viktor mimicked Eduard.

"I said cut it out!" said Nina. "By the way, Feli's not _anyone's_ boyfriend. He and Lui are just friends. Got it, butthole?"

"Pfft," said Viktor. "I saw LuLu giving Feli a piggyback ride."

"So what?" said Nina. "If you don't stop picking on Lui and Feli, I'll tell the teacher on you!"

"Fine," said Viktor. He stuck his tongue out at Nina and walked away.

"Thanks, Nina," Ludwig said as he turned to look at something else so he wouldn't get nervous or act stupid in front of her.

"No prob," said Nina.

* * *

><p>While the Little Axis, Klara, Isabelle, Kaoru and Mei were at recess with their classmates, Elise and Gabriella were hanging out while Savio and Gilbert played together.<p>

"I really wish that Mila Krum would teach that kid of hers to not pick on my little Feli," Gabriella ranted. "What did Feli ever do to that boy? Nothing!"

"I know," said Elise. "He picks on my Lui sometimes, too. Gilbo, honey, don't put that bug in your mouth." She went over to Gilbert and was about to pick him up off the ground, when Talho came up and picked the toddler up instead.

"Thank you," said Talho. "I'll be taking the boy with me. Bye." She walked away with Gilbert, who was screaming for Elise.

"Mommy!" Gilbert cried as he reached for his mother. "Mommy!"

"No!" Elise and Gabriella shouted. Gabriella picked Savio up, and she and Elise went after Talho, who was now driving away with Gilbert in the car with her.

"Give me back my baby!" Elise shouted.

* * *

><p>Talho was smiling with satisfaction at doing well. "Holland will be pleased."<p>

"Mommy!" Gilbert wailed.

"Be quiet," Talho said firmly. "I can't drive with your screaming; I've been dealing with my daughter screaming her head off all day today."

Talho wasn't as successful as she thought, however, because Claus, Jose and Daisuke (who was a police officer) stopped her. Daisuke dragged Talho out of the car, while Claus opened the passenger door and got Gilbert out, hugging the crying toddler to his chest.

Daisuke used martial arts moves on Talho, while Talho tried and failed to dodge them. Jose was trying to comfort Gilbert.

"There, there," Claus said soothingly as he patted his son's back. Talho was gone by then.

"Daddy," Gilbert said as he calmed down.

"Oh, Claus, thank God you guys saved him," Elise said with relief as she hugged Claus and took Gilbert into her arms. "Thank you."

"I can't believe those guys tried taking Gilbo again!" said Jose. "That's just cruel!"

"Don't they ever give up?" asked Daisuke.

"Apparently not," said Claus.

* * *

><p>Later that afternoon, Ludwig and Klara came rushing in through the front door.<p>

"Mom, Dad, Grandpa, we're home," said Ludwig.

"Yeah, we're home," said Klara.

"Hey, you two," said Elise.

"How was your day?" Claus asked. He was, once again, holding Gilbert; this time, Gilbert was napping and using Claus as his own personal pillow.

"Good," Klara said.

"Viktor Krum picked on me," Ludwig said.

"Again?" asked Elise. "Alright, I'll have a talk with his parents."

* * *

><p>"I'm so sorry, Holland," said an ashamed Talho. "I had the kid for a few minutes, but Claus and a couple of his friends overpowered me and got him out of the car. I had no chance."<p>

"That's okay, Talho," said Holland. "I still love ya."

Vivi came into the room her parents were talking in. "Mama!" She smiled and held her arms out, sginaling that she wanted to be picked up.

"See? Vivi loves ya, too," Holland said as Talho picked the little girl up.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>_Ja_- Yeah (German)

_Grazie_- Thank you (Italian)


	12. Gilbo's Chaotic 2nd Birthday

**Chapter 12: Gilbo's Chaotic 2****nd**** Birthday**

_October 25, 1942_

The Little Axis, Lovino, Klara, Isabelle, Francis, Antonio, Yao, Chi, Kaoru and Mei were walking in the marketplace, looking for stuff for a very special occasion: Gilbert's second birthday. Yao had taken Chi, Kaoru, Mei, Isabelle and Francis to go look for a cake for the party, while Ludwig, Klara, Feliciano, Kiku, Antonio and Lovino—along with Ludwig and Klara's ten-month-old puppy, Blackie—went to look for the perfect present for Gilbert.

* * *

><p>"Oi, Potato," Lovino said in order to get Ludwig's attention.<p>

"What?" Ludwig asked, clearly annoyed at being called "Potato".

"What are you looking for?" asked Lovino.

"I wanna find something good for my brother," Ludwig replied.

"How about this?" Kiku asked. He held up a stuffed dog that had big, floppy ears and big, cute eyes.

Ludwig smiled and then got his sister's attention. "Oi, Klara, check this out."

Klara went over to Ludwig and saw the stuffed dog. "Aw, how cute! Gilbo's gonna love this! And it looks just like Blackie!" She showed the stuffed dog to the German Shepherd puppy, who sniffed it and barked and wagged his tail.

"So, should we get it?" Ludwig asked.

"¡Sí!" Antonio replied with a smile. "Blackie approves, and Gilbo will love it."

"That settles it, then," said Klara. "Lui, can you pay for this?"

"Okay," said Ludwig. "Uh, what happened to the money Mom and Dad gave you?"

"I gave it all to Yao for a cake," Klara replied.

Ludwig paid for the stuffed dog, and he and the others went to meet Yao and the other cake shoppers.

* * *

><p>Yao, Chi, Kaoru, Mei, Isabelle and Francis came out of the pastry shop.<p>

"Hey, guys," said Ludwig.

"Hey, aru," said Yao. "Gilbo's gonna love this cake."

"What kind of cake did you get?" Klara asked.

"Chocolate with chocolate frosting, mon ami," said Isabelle.

"Yummy!" the Little Axis and Klara exclaimed.

"Come on, we've gotta get back before the party," said Lovino.

"Yeah," said Antonio. "Alright, everybody. _Vamonos_."

The kids all made their way back to the Beilschmidts' house with the cake and present.

* * *

><p>"Mom, we're back," Ludwig said.<p>

"Oh, good," said Elise. "Just in time. Put the cake on the table, and hide Gilbo's present until the party."

* * *

><p>Just as Ludwig and Klara were done hiding the present, Gilbert ran up to them.<p>

"Wes! Klawa!" Gilbert said and smiled at his siblings.

"Hey, Gilbo," said Klara. She messed Gilbert's hair up and smiled. "Who's a happy boy? You!"

"How's the birthday boy?" Ludwig said as he bent down and gave Gilbert a big smile.

"Whewe's the pwesents?" Gilbert asked excitedly. "Pway wif me."

Blackie ran up to the three siblings and barked happily.

"Bwackie!" Gilbert chirped. "Good doggy."

Blackie licked Gilbert all over his face while the child laughed loudly.

* * *

><p>A little later, Gilbert's birthday party was being thrown. The Beilschmidts' friends were all there, along with some new additions: Feliks, Toris and their families, whom Ludwig had invited.<p>

When cake time came around, Gilbert, Renji, Ciel, Elizabeth, Black*Star, Luffy, Nami and Savio ate some of the cake with their hands, which got them dirty. The eight children all had to take a bath at the same time.

* * *

><p>The kids were splashing around in the tub, getting soap suds and water all over Claus.<p>

"Gilbo, please hold still for Daddy," Claus pleaded. "Please, Gilbo. Please hold still for Daddy. Savino, hold still for me. For your daddy's BFF. Luffy, Nami…no, stay in the tub, you two. Black*Star, Renji, Ciel, Lizzie…Gilbo, no, don't get out yet…please, guys, you've gotta stay in the bath."

"I'm gonna be King of the Piwates!" a four-year-old Luffy proclaimed.

"Can't catch me!" Gilbert yelled, smiling and laughing as he streaked through the house.

"Gilbo, come back here," Claus said. He dried the other seven kids off, got them re-dressed, brought them back into the living room and ran after his son.

* * *

><p>Gilbert ran into Francis and Antonio, who were flirting with girls (actually, Francis was flirting with everything that moved!). "Fwancis, Tony, pway wif me!"<p>

"Bonjour, Roderich," Francis said as he flirted with an uncomfortable Roddykins. "How about you leave Elizabeta and—"

"For the last time, no," said Roderich. "I'm married, and you're fifteen, you little imbecile. And for God's sake, this is a two-year-old's birthday party, so stop flirting with and humping everything that moves!"

"Oh, hewwo, Wittle Pwussia," Antonio said in his baby-talk voice. The teen then noticed Gilbert was naked. "Oh my God! Gilbo, where are your clothes?"

"I'm naked!" Gilbert said proudly.

"Oh, _mon petit Gilbo_, I'm so proud of you!" Francis exclaimed. He picked Gilbert up and held him. "Remember what Big Brother Francis taught you: It's such a joy to be naked. Nakedness is good."

"Francis, don't encourage him," said Antonio.

Ludwig, Klara, Isabelle, Feliciano, Lovino and Kiku ran up to Francis, Antonio and Gilbert.

"Oh my God!" said a very shocked Kiku. "Lui, teach your little brother to come to his senses!"

"Dad, we found him," Ludwig called.

Claus came running up to Ludwig and the others and saw Francis holding a laughing Gilbert. "Francis, can I have my son back, please?"

"Oui, Monsieur Beilschmidt," Francis replied. He handed Gilbert back to Claus.

"Thanks," said Claus. "Now I'm gonna get the birthday boy dressed so he can open presents."

As Claus walked to another room with Gilbert, the child squealed happily and said "Pwesents!"

* * *

><p>When Claus came back, it was time for Gilbert to open his presents, something that Ludwig and Klara willingly helped him with.<p>

* * *

><p>During the rest of the party, everyone was having fun, until they heard a noise outside the house.<p>

"What was that?" Elise asked.

Gabriella looked out the window while protectively holding Savio. She gasped and drew back the curtains, then turned the lights out. "I saw some Nazis outside!" she whispered.

"Oh, shit," said Claus.

"Like, what'll we do now?" Feliks asked.

"Hide!" Germania whispered. He and Rome ushered everyone under some loose floorboards, then got in themselves.

* * *

><p>Under the floorboards, Germania and Rome held up some candles to see.<p>

"Is everyone here?" Germania asked quietly as the door was broken down and footsteps were heard.

Rome counted the heads of the others with him and Germania, then got scared. "Germania…there are some people missing."

Germania became alarmed. "Who?"

"Oh no," Giuseppe said. "My little Savino!"

"Gilbo!" Claus said.

"Luffy and Nami are gone, too," said a really worried Ace.

"So are Renji and Black*Star," said Black*Star's guardian, Sid Barrett.

"And Ciel and Lizzie!" said Rachel. "My poor little Ciel!"

"Calm down, Rachel," Vincent whispered.

"How can I calm down? Our son's still up there, and I can't go out and get him!" said Rachel.

* * *

><p>Gilbert, Savio, Luffy, Nami, Black*Star, Renji, Ciel and Elizabeth were hiding under the kitchendining room table, listening to the angry voices and footsteps of the Nazis who were in the house.

"Luffy, I'm scared," said Nami.

"Don't worry, Nami," said Luffy. "The King of the Pirates will stop those bastards." He was about to run out to try and stop them when he was held back by Gilbert and Savio.

* * *

><p>"<em>Beilschmidts!" <em>the people under the floorboards heard one of the guys upstairs shout. Rome and Germania had extinguished their candles by this point. _"Where are you? Come out and give yourselves up, now!" _There was the sound of someone knocking a piece of furniture over. _"All of you are under arrest!"_

"Shit!" Elise said in a hushed whisper. "They found us. We're done for."

"No, you're not," said Daisuke.

"They won't find you, aru," Mulan agreed.

* * *

><p>Under the kitchendining room table, the children were shaking as the Nazis marched past them and looked through the pantry and everything else.

"No one here," one Nazi said. The kids heard him munching on something.

"Where the hell are they?" another one asked furiously. "If we don't bring them back to—"

"I know!" another one yelled.

"Hey, I found some cake," another Nazi said. "'Happy Birthday, Gilbo'. Who's Gilbo?"

"Who cares?" said another Nazi. "I'm getting hungry. Let's eat some of that."

The Nazis started eating Gilbert's birthday cake!

Before anyone could stop him, Gilbert walked out from under the table and up to the Nazis eating his cake. "Hey!"

The Nazis stopped eating and turned to see little Gilbert glaring at them.

"Beat it, kid," said one of the Nazis.

"That's my cake!" a now upset Gilbert yelled.

"So, you're Gilbo," another guy said.

"He must be one of Claus and Elise's kids," said another Nazi.

"Think we should take him for now, and search for the rest of the family elsewhere?" asked another.

"Yeah, why not?" said the man who was probably the leader of the group.

"Hey, kid," one of the guys said gently as he bent down to Gilbert's level. "Wanna go on a trip?"

"You ated my cake," Gilbert said, on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry," the guy said with a smile. "How about you go with me and my friends on this trip, and we buy you a new cake?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Gilbert said in excitement.

"Okay," said the guy. He picked Gilbert up. "You're a cute little guy. Come on, I'll get you a new cake." He turned to his comrades. "I have him. Come on."

* * *

><p>Under the floorboards, Germania, Claus, Elise, Ludwig and Klara were in tears.<p>

"I can't believe they got Gilbo," Claus said sadly.

"I'm a bad brother," Ludwig said. "I couldn't protect him."

"You're not a bad brother, Lui," said Feliciano.

Claus glared up at the boards. "I'm going up there."

Germania grabbed his son and forced him to sit down. "No! Claus, I can't let you."

"But my son's in trouble!" Claus whispered angrily. "You can't expect me to just sit here while they take him away and do who-knows-what to him!"

"If they find you, they'll arrest you and send you to—what was that?" Germania said. He and the others looked up when they heard the Nazis yelling in surprise.

* * *

><p>On the surface, the Nazi who had Gilbert dropped him when Ciel, Elizabeth, Black*Star and Nami pulled a rug out from under him. Gilbert ran towards Luffy, Savio and Renji, and helped them try to tie the Nazis' boots together so they would trip.<p>

"Why you little—woah!" the Nazi who dropped Gilbert yelled as he tried to chase the children, then fell on his face due to his boots being tied together by his laces.

The kids climbed on top of the couch and all jumped onto a huge, wooden board. This caused the fallen and struggling Nazis to be catapulted literally through the roof and into the air, away from the Beilschmidts' house.

* * *

><p>When everything was silent, the Beilschmidts and the others came out of hiding.<p>

"Gilbo!" Claus and Elise exclaimed when they saw their smiling son. They picked him up and hugged and kissed him.

"We thought we lost you," Elise said as she hugged Gilbert to her chest.

"I'm so glad you're safe," said Claus.

"Mommy, Daddy," Gilbert said happily.

"Well…this has been a _fun _day, huh?" asked Germania.

Klara noticed the hole in the roof. "Uh, Mommy." She pointed to the hole.

Elise saw where Klara was pointing and groaned. "Oh no. Our roof's ruined. Those _gottverdammten_ Nazis!"

Claus looked at the hole in the roof. "Ellie, don't worry. Jose, Daisuke and I'll repair it."

"Okay," said Elise.

* * *

><p>Claus, Daisuke and Giuseppe got to work repairing the hole in the roof. The Beilschmidts were safe once again from those Nazis.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>_mon petit Gilbo_- my little Gilbo (French)

_gottverdammten_- goddamned (German)


	13. Father's Day

**Chapter 13: Father's Day**

_March 19, 1943_

Two days after Lovino and Feliciano's birthday—Lovino was now thirteen and Feliciano now ten—the kids of San Francesco Suola Primaria had the day off because of the Saint Joseph's Day celebrations. This day was also something very special for the children: Father's Day! As such, a lot of kids were going out to places to buy gifts for their fathers.

* * *

><p>Ludwig answered the door when he heard a knock. Outside stood Lovino, Feliciano, Savio, Yao, Chi, Kiku, Kaoru, Mei and Yong Soo…and Nina, Feliks, Toris, Eduard and Raivis, too, of course. Nina had Alexander with her. "Hey, guys. What's up?"<p>

"Lui, we're gonna go look for presents for our dads," said Nina. "Wanna come?"

"Sure!" Ludwig replied with a smile. "I'll get Klara and Gilbo." He let his friends into the house and went to get his brother and sister. He and Klara counted their money and put it together, then got Gilbert dressed and ready for a day of present shopping.

* * *

><p>Ludwig, Klara and Gilbert saw their mother washing Gilbert's dirty sheets.<p>

"Hey, Mom," Ludwig said.

"What is it?" Elise asked as she rang out one of the sheets.

"Klara, Gilbo and I are gonna go buy a present for Dad," said Ludwig. "We'll be back, okay?"

"Sure," said Elise. "Have fun." She hung up the sheet she rang out.

"Bye," Klara called. She and Ludwig also got their dogs—a now one-year-old Blackie, and a three-month-old Doberman puppy named Berlitz—ready to go.

* * *

><p>The Beilschmidt siblings, their dogs and their friends all went shopping for gifts for their fathers. They ran into Ace and Luffy (who were looking for something for their grandpa), Zoro and Usopp.<p>

"Ya think Grandpa'll like this, Ace?" Luffy asked. He held up a shirt that said "I'm With Stupid" on it. Under the phrase "I'm With Stupid" was an arrow that pointed upwards.

"Yeah," said Ace. "That'll be the perfect present for that old crap bag."

"Ace, don't insult your grandpa like that," Ludwig said.

"Si," said Feliciano. "Don't call your grandpa a crap bag."

"Lui, let's buy something for Grandpa, too," said Klara.

"Sure!" Ludwig replied.

"Lovi, we should buy something for Grandpa, too," said Feliciano. "Can we?"

"Yeah," said Lovino.

Ludwig, Klara, Lovino and Feliciano each bought something for their grandfathers, as well as their fathers.

"Kiku, what about you and your sibs?" Feliciano asked. "Don't you wanna buy something for your grandpa?"

Yao looked at the floor. "We don't have a grandfather anymore, aru."

"Oh," Toris said. "We're sorry."

"'s okay," said Chi.

"Hey, Yao! This was made in Korea!" said a now four-and-a-half-year-old Yong Soo. He then grabbed Yao's chest…again. "And I own you! Mwahahahahahaha!"

"Get the hell off me, aru!" Yao said. He started dancing around and making a fool of himself while trying to get Yong Soo off his back. "Yong Soo! Get off me! Chi, help me, aru!"

"Yong Soo, stop it," said Chi. She pried Yong Soo off Yao and set him down on the ground. "Please behave yourself. Yao and I promised Mom that you'd behave for us."

"Okay," said a now pouting Yong Soo.

"That's better," said Chi. "You okay, Yao?"

"Yeah, aru," said a now relieved Yao.

* * *

><p>After the children were done buying gifts for their fathers, they returned home and celebrated Father's Day.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Meanwhile…<em>

"Vivi, give Daddy the remote," Holland said.

"No!" said Vivi; the child was going through the "Terrible Two's" stage now. She jumped on the couch and away from her dad's reach.

"Give me the remote, Vivi," Holland commanded.

"No, no, no!" said Vivi.

Holland face palmed. "Oh, God, why does she have to go through this state? Whyyyyyy?"

* * *

><p>Renton and Eureka were just standing in the background, watching Holland try and get the remote to the television out of Vivi's clutches.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>I had to do some research for the date Father's Day falls on in Italy, so that's where I got the date March 19.


	14. Mother's Day

**Author's Note: **Hi, everybody. I'm writing this chapter in honor of Mother's day, which is next week.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: Mother's Day<strong>

_May 9, 1943_

"Lui, let me cook!" Klara said to her big brother; Ludwig and Klara were in the kitchen, making breakfast. Gilbert, of course, was joining them in the process, as were Blackie and Berlitz.

"Nein, I'll get it," Ludwig said, pushing his baby sister away. "I'm the oldest, and the most mature."

"No you're not," said Klara. She saw Gilbert playing with a bag of flour, and Blackie and Berlitz tugging on it. "No, Gilbo, Blackie, Berlitz, don't." Too late. The bag of flour broke, covering Gilbert and the dogs in flour, and getting flour on the floor. Gilbert laughed and clapped his hands, sending clouds of flour everywhere.

"I'm a snowman!" Gilbert exclaimed with a big smile.

"Oh no," Ludwig and Klara groaned.

"I'll give him a bath, sis," Ludwig said.

"No, I'll do it," said Klara.

"How come you won't let me do anything?" Ludwig whined.

"'Cause you won't let ME do anything," said Klara.

"I just don't want you to hurt yourself in here," Ludwig replied.

"I don't," said Klara. "Now, I'll give Gilbo a bath, and you cook breakfast."

"Okay," said Ludwig. "What about the dogs?"

"I'll take care of 'em," said Klara.

Claus came in from taking care of the laundry earlier that morning; he was giving Elise, who usually did the laundry, a break from that for the day. "What happened here?"

"Gilbo and the dogs broke the flour bag," said Klara.

"Yeah, and Klara's gonna wash 'em," Ludwig added.

Claus sighed and face palmed at the sight of his youngest child and dogs covered in flour. "I'll take care of breakfast. You two clean this mess up and clean the dogs and your brother."

"Okay," Ludwig and Klara said.

Germania came in. "What the…? Claus, you can't take care of the kitchen by yourself?"

"It wasn't me, Dad. Gilbo and the dogs broke the flour bag while Lui and Klara were trying to make Ellie's breakfast," said Claus. "Kids, get some stuff together and clean up this mess."

"I'll do it," said Germania. "You two, get Gilbo and the dogs clean."

Ludwig and Klara took Gilbert and the dogs, and left to clean them up.

* * *

><p>It took a couple hours, but Gilbert, Blackie and Berlitz were clean again, and just in time for a very special breakfast, and the kitchen was sparkling clean as well!<p>

"Lui, Klara, Gilbo, I want you three to wake your mother," Claus told his children. "Tell her breakfast is ready. Oh, do you have her present ready?"

"Yup," said Klara. She got out a collage that she, Ludwig, Claus, Germania and Gilbert all made. The collage even had a two paw prints on it, one from Blackie, and one from Berlitz.

"Good," said Claus. "Now, go get your mother."

* * *

><p>"Mom," Ludwig said quietly.<p>

"Mommy, time to get up," said Klara. She then put Gilbert on the bed, knowing Gilbert would be able to wake her up.

Gilbert hopped over to Elise and gently shook her and patted her head. "Mommy. Mommy, wake up. Bweakfast is weady, Mommy. Wake up."

Elise stirred a little and opened her eyes. She saw her three children staring at her, big smiles on their faces. "Hey, you guys. What's going on?"

"Time to get up, Mom," said Ludwig. "Breakfast is ready, and it's really good." He picked Gilbert up and put him on the floor.

"Okay," said Elise. She proceeded to get out of bed. "I'll be there."

* * *

><p>Ludwig, Klara and Gilbert took their seats at the table and waited for their mother to come out.<p>

Elise came out a few minutes later, dressed and awake. She smiled when she saw the breakfast displayed on the table and sat down. "Wow! This looks really delicious, you guys!"

"Happy Mother's Day!" Ludwig and Klara said as they handed Elise her gift.

Elise looked at the collage and smiled warmly. "This is really great. Thank you so much." She hugged her husband, father-in-law and children.

"Happy Mothew's Day, Mommy," Gilbert said when Elise gave him a hug.

"Aw, thank you, Gilbo," said Elise.

The Beilschmidt family enjoyed their Mother's Day breakfast, and had a very happy day.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, at the Gekkostate HQ, Talho was enjoying spending Mother's Day with Holland and Vivi.<p>

"Happy Mother's Day, Talho," said Holland. "Vivi and I made this for ya." He handed Talho a model of the Gekkostate's ship, made of popsicle sticks, newspaper, silly string and various other things.

"Mama, Happy Mothew's Day!" Vivi exclaimed as she crawled into Talho's lap and hugged her.

"I love it," said Talho. "Thank you, guys." She kissed Holland and returned Vivi's hugs.

"Oh, on another note," said Holland. "Vivi's been showing some interest in capturing that Gilbert brat."

"Really?" Talho asked. She smiled at Vivi, who smiled back. "That's wonderful! Well, when she's older, we'll start teaching her the stuff she should do, since she and Gilbert are the same age."

"What do you mean?" asked Holland.

"When Vivi's older, we'll send her to Venice for the summer holidays," said Talho. "She'll befriend Gilbert, earning his trust, so we can get him."

"When will that be?" Holland asked. "And I don't like the idea of sending Vivi to Italy by herself."

"We'll send my father with her," said Talho.

"Oh, okay," Holland replied, liking the idea more and more. "So, when should we do this?"

"Whenever the time feels right," said Talho. "It doesn't yet."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Yeah, Holland and Talho are already making plans for their future strike against the Beilschmidts. Uh-oh!


	15. Babysitting Gone Wrong!

**Chapter 15: Babysitting Gone Wrong!**

_November 7, 1944_

Claus and Elise were getting ready to go out to a nice dinner, with Giuseppe and Gabriella, and Daisuke and Mulan. Germania was helping Rome watch over his six grandchildren, especially a very foul-mouthed, fourteen-year-old Lovino.

Daisuke and Mulan had brought Yao, Chi, Kiku, Kaoru, Mei and Yong Soo over to the Beilschmidt household, while Feliciano had gotten Rome's permission to go over and hang out with Ludwig and Kiku; he brought Savio with him as well, of course. Claus and Elise got Roy Mustang to babysit their children.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you'll be okay with watching them?" Claus asked.<p>

"Of course," Mustang replied while Gilbert plopped down in his lap and smiled up at him. "They look like good kids, and I have Yao and Chi to help out."

"Okay," said Elise. "Lui, Klara, Gilbo, I want you three to be good for Roy. Okay?"

"Okay," Ludwig said.

"Yes, Mom," said Klara.

"Yeah, Mommy," Gilbert replied. He jumped off Mustang's lap and ran up to his mother, hugging her and Claus.

"Aw, okay, Gilbo," Claus said as he and Elise hugged Gilbert. "You be good, okay?"

"Okay," Gilbert said as he let go of his parents.

"Bye," the three Beilschmidt siblings said as Claus and Elise went out the door.

* * *

><p>Just as soon as Claus and Elise left, the children (except Yao and Chi, of course) ran around the house, jumping on and off of things, shouting and throwing things at each other…and at Mustang, too.<p>

"Hey, cut it out!" Mustang exclaimed. He screamed and danced around in a frenzy when Yong Soo grabbed his chest from behind. "Get him off me! Yao! Chi! Help me!"

Yao and Chi quickly went away from Kiku and the twins, who were playing with toy ninja stuff, and raced up to Mustang. They grabbed Yong Soo and pulled him off Mustang's back.

"Yong Soo, stop it now, aru," Yao said firmly.

Mustang sighed with relief. "Thanks a bunch, you two."

"Don't mention it," said Chi. "Kaoru, Mei, no! Put those down!" She ran over to the twins, while Yao quickly went up to Kiku.

"Catch me if you can, Gilbo!" Savio exclaimed as he and Gilbert ran on chairs, the couch and the kitchen/dining room table.

"Come back here, Savino!" Gilbert called out.

"Everyone, quiet!" Mustang called. Everyone stopped. "Now…What does everybody want to eat? It's almost dinner time."

Not even a second later—much to Mustang, Yao and Chi's chagrin—the other children started chattering loudly, once again jumping and running all over the place and throwing things everywhere.

Ludwig, Klara and Gilbert were singing what they wanted:

"_Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit_

_I want to eat some wurst _(ah, and beer, too!)

_Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit_

_And I want to eat it with some mustard!"_

"Kids, answer the quest—" Mustang said, but was cut off by Gilbert singing.

"_The awesome me will show up! Burn it up!_

_I'll do whatever I want and I'll do it violently_

_Old man, please watch over me!_

_Mein Gott!_

_In a pinch! Punch!_

_Sometimes even a warrior starts shaking_

(…I'll leave things at this point)

_A reverse in the situation, I'm going to be hasty!_

_Beobachten Sie es bitte, Fritz Vater!_

_Beobachten Sie es bitte, Fritz Vater!_

_Beobachten Sie es bitte, Fritz Vater!"_

"Enough!" Yao and Chi shouted. This caused the children to stop clowning around.

"Now," Yao said, drawing in a deep, frustrated breath and exhaling. "Roy, Chi and I are going to make dinner, aru. Does anyone have anything they want?"

"Nope!" the kids said in unison and went back to their monkey business.

* * *

><p>After Mustang, Yao and Chi were done making dinner, they came out with some sushi.<p>

"I thought we'd eat Japanese style tonight," said Mustang. "It was Yao and Chi's idea, actually."

Ludwig was picking his nose while reading a book.

"Good Lord," said Chi.

"Are you picking your nose, aru?" Yao asked, rolling his eyes.

"I had to. There was stuff in it," Ludwig replied.

"And where were you planning to put it?" asked Mustang.

"I really didn't have a plan," Ludwig said, looking around for a place to put his boogers.

"Well, don't you dare wipe that on the furniture," Klara scolded Ludwig. She looked disgusted.

Mustang set the tray of sushi down in front of the kids. "And not on your clothes, either."

Ludwig shrugged and put his finger back in his nose. Mustang saw that.

"What are you doing?" Mustang asked.

"Putting it back," said Ludwig.

Mustang sat down and handed Ludwig a napkin. "Here, wipe your hands."

"Why?" Ludwig asked.

"Because we're going to eat dinner," said Chi. "And you've been rooting around in your nostril."

"Uh, it's okay. I don't eat with my hands," said Ludwig. "I use a fork."

"Wipe your hands, Nimrod," said Klara.

"Okay," Ludwig said in a resigned tone. He took the napkin and wiped his eyes.

"Thank you, aru," said Yao.

"Have your parents taken you out for sushi?" Mustang asked the kids.

"No," most of them said. Most of them, except for the Honda siblings.

"Back in Japan, we had sushi almost all the time," said Kiku.

"I don't like raw fish," said Ludwig.

"Me neither," Klara said.

"Me three," said Gilbert.

"Well, have you ever had it?" asked Mustang.

"No," the Beilschmidt siblings said.

"How do you know you don't like it, then?" asked Chi.

"It's an educated guess," Ludwig replied.

"Well, why don't you just try it?" Mustang asked. "Let's start with the tuna, shall we? There you go."

The kids looked at the sushi.

"That's not tuna," said Savio.

"Oh, yes it is," said Mustang.

"Nuh-uh," said Savio. "I've had tuna."

"Savio, it's tuna," Mustang said. "Why don't you take a little taste first?" He took the sushi from Savio's plate and dipped it in soy sauce. "Dip it in the soy sauce first. There you go. Have a bite."

"You know," said Feliciano. "There's a girl at school, Nina Tucker…and when she was two, her mom ate a whole bunch of sushi, and it had worms."

"And they grew out of her stomach and crawled out of her eyes," Ludwig finished.

"Oh no, they didn't," said Chi.

"How do you know?" asked Ludwig.

Yao sighed. "Just take a little bite, aru."

"Okay," Ludwig said. He, Feliciano, Kiku and the rest of the children each took a bite, then spit it out onto the floor.

"Guys!" Mustang yelled.

"Gross!" said Klara.

"It tastes like worms!" Ludwig yelled.

"Kids, stop spitting on the rug," said Mustang.

"Where do you want us to spit?" Feliciano asked.

"Don't spit at all," said Chi.

"This stuff tastes bad!" said Kiku.

"I've gotta get the taste out!" Ludwig exclaimed.

"Have some ginger," said Mustang.

Ludwig took something and took a big drink of it.

"No, Ludwig, that's wasabi," said Kiku.

"What?" Ludwig asked. Then he felt his tongue on fire! "AAAAHHHHH! Are you trying to kill me, Roy?" He then started to lick the pillow on the couch.

"No, Lui, that's an expensive pillow!" said Klara. "Mom and Dad will have a fit!"

"Let…give me that!" said Mustang. He had a tug-of-war match with Ludwig over the pillow. Suddenly, Ludwig got the pillow back, but the sushi was knocked over onto the floor.

"Okay, here," Ludwig finally said. He handed the pillow to Mustang.

* * *

><p>Mustang, Yao and Chi were cleaning the floor.<p>

"What else do we have to eat?" asked Ludwig.

"You mean other than the 50 lire worth of sushi in your parents' carpet?" asked Mustang.

"Yeah," the Little Axis—who weren't so little anymore; they were eleven years old now—replied.

"I don't suppose you'd eat squab," said Mustang.

"No," said Ludwig.

"Do you even know what it is?" Chi asked.

"No," said Kiku. "But it sounds pretty creepy. 'Squaab'."

"Yaaaahhhh!" a freaked out Feliciano said.

"Well…what would you eat, aru?" Yao asked.

"Pretty much anything," said Ludwig. "Except sushi and squab."

"Would you eat spaghetti?" asked Mustang.

"I love spaghetti," the Little Axis said.

"Great, aru. Would you prefer vermicelli or linguine?" Yao asked.

"Spa-ghetti," Ludwig and Kiku said.

"Alright," said Mustang. "What would you like on it? Puttanesca, Bolognese, Milanese, olive oil with truffles?"

"How about squab?" asked Ludwig.

Mustang gave Ludwig a death glare.

"I'm just kidding. Ketchup," said Ludwig.

"Of course," said Mustang.

"And sliced-up wurst," Ludwig added.

Mustang walked away with the tray. "Unbelievable. My charges are hillbillies."

* * *

><p>Later, Mustang came out with a bunch of plates of spaghetti with ketchup and sliced-up sausage. He looked annoyed. "Dinner—such as it is—is served." Mustang looked around the room and noticed the Little Axis weren't in the room with the other kids. "Ludwig, Kiku, Feliciano? Where are you? Come into the room."<p>

Ludwig, Kiku and Feliciano came out from behind the couch. "Squab!"

Mustang and the other children screamed, and Mustang threw the plates of spaghetti into the air. The food landed on the kids and everywhere else.

* * *

><p>Later, the parents came home from their nice evening. Germania came back from Rome's place.<p>

"Roy?" Claus asked when he, his wife and the other parents saw Mustang sitting on the spaghetti-riddled couch.

"Oh, hello," Roy said miserably. He took a swig of beer from a flask.

"What happened? Where are the kids?" Elise asked.

"I sent them to take a bath," Mustang replied. "They had sausage and spaghetti in their hair.

"Why would they have sausage and spaghetti in their hair?" asked Germania.

"Because they wouldn't eat squab," Mustang said. "Squaaab."

"Mommy, Daddy, you're home!" Gilbert said happily. He ran up to his parents and hugged them.

"Hey, Gilbo," said Claus.

"We're so sorry about the kids, Roy," Daisuke said. "We'll take them home right now."

"Thank you," Mustang said with relief. He walked out of the house, still carrying the flask of beer.

* * *

><p>Ludwig, Kiku and Feliciano were later reprimanded for their actions, because they were the ones who caused Mustang to throw plates of spaghetti with ketchup and sliced-up sausage everywhere.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>The songs Ludwig, Klara and Gilbert sang in this chapter are Germany's character song, _Germany's Anthem (I am German Made)_, and Prussia's character song, _Mein Gott_.

P.S.: The currency I used, the Italian lira, was the currency in use in Italy from 1861 to 2002. Italy adopted the euro in 2002.


	16. December 1945

**Chapter 16: December 1945**

_December 3, 1945_

"Class, we have a new student joining us," the teacher for the Year 2 class of the _San Gabriele Scuola Secondaria di Primo Grado_ announced to the students. "This is Melina Karpusi from Athens, Greece; she just moved here with her mother and father."

"Pleased to meet you," Melina said shyly.

After everyone said hello to Melina, the teacher spoke to the girl. "Melina, why don't you take the empty seat next to Kiku?" She indicated Kiku, who was sitting with Ludwig and Feliciano.

Ludwig leaned over to Kiku and whispered. "Hey, man, I think she's looking at you."

Kiku blushed. "R-Really? She's looking at…_me_?"

Melina walked over to her new seat and sat down. "Hi," she addressed the trio.

"H…Hi," a love-struck Kiku said.

"You're Kiku, right?" asked Melina.

"_H-Hai," _said Kiku. "I'm Kiku. Honda Kiku."

"Your name's Honda?" asked Feliciano. "I thought it was Kiku."

"Feli, you've known me for years," said Kiku. "Remember? In Japan, the last name goes before the first name."

"Oh," Feliciano said. "I forgot."

"Not surprised," said Viktor Krum. "You're so stupid, Vargas."

Feliciano became upset. "Stop being mean to me, Viktor."

The teacher walked to the back of the classroom. "Is there a problem?"

"Viktor's picking on Feliciano again," Ludwig replied.

"Viktor, am I going to have to have another conference with your mother?" the teacher sternly asked the Bulgarian boy.

"No," said Viktor. He unwillingly left Feliciano alone for the rest of the class.

"Hey," Kiku whispered to Melina when the teacher was going over geography.

"Hm?" said Melina. She turned to look at Kiku.

"After school, wanna go out?" Kiku asked with a smile.

Melina lit up and smiled. "Sure! What time?"

"20:00?" Kiku asked.

"That'd be great," said Melina.

Kiku grinned and looked towards Ludwig and Feliciano, who both gave him a thumbs up, congratulating him on getting a date. Kiku spent the entire class daydreaming about Melina.

* * *

><p>Later that night, at 20:00, Kiku was at Melina's doorstep. He shuffled nervously and turned towards his friends. "Guys…What if she doesn't like me?"<p>

"Kiku, it's pretty obvious she likes you," Ludwig said.

"Just calm down," said Feliciano. "Don't be nervous. Melina likes you, trust me."

Kiku took a deep breath. "Okay. But…what if her dad's some scary guy?"

"Don't worry about her dad," Ludwig said. "Now, knock on the door, and act normal."

"Okay," said Kiku. When he looked behind him, Ludwig and Feliciano were already gone. He was by himself. Kiku knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer.

When the door opened, Kiku was face-to-face with a man he could only assume was Melina's father.

"Uh, hi," said Kiku. "My name's Kiku. I'm here to pick up Melina."

"Come in, Kiku," Melina's father said. He showed Kiku inside the house, which was decorated with some Greek stuff.

"Kiku, you're here!" Melina said excitedly. "Oh, this is my dad, Heracles, and my mom, Vasiliki."

"Nice to meet you," Kiku said to Melina's parents. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah!" said Melina. "Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad. See you later."

"Have fun," Vasiliki said, while Heracles stared at the retreating couple with an untrusting air.

* * *

><p>"So, you're from Athens?" Kiku asked as he and Melina waited in line for tickets to the newest movie, <em>Mario e Amici di Andare a Sciare Sulle Montagne Rocciose<em>.

"Yup," said Melina.

"What made you move all the way from Greece?" Kiku asked. He and Melina went inside with their tickets and tried finding good seats.

"These demonstrations there," Melina replied. "They're getting pretty bad, so my parents decided that we had to leave. And, well, here we are. About you: Where are you from?"

"Tokyo," said Kiku.

"How come you left?" Melina asked.

"I guess my parents didn't like living in Tokyo anymore," Kiku said. "And, here I am, along with my brothers and sisters."

Kiku and Melina had a great time at the movies. Afterwards, they went to a party that was being thrown by one of their classmates, then Kiku took Melina home.

"I had a really great time, Kiku," Melina said.

"I'm g-glad," said a bashful Kiku.

* * *

><p><em>December 21, 1945<em>

"Have a great winter holiday," the teacher called out to the Year 2 students of San Gabriele Scuola Secondaria di Primo Grado. The students all rushed out of the building, heading to different places before going home for the winter holidays.

* * *

><p>Ludwig, Kiku and Feliciano were walking together, when they heard a familiar voice calling out to them.<p>

"Lui, wait up!" Klara yelled. She ran up to the Axis, out of breath once she caught up to them.

"What is it, Klara?" an annoyed-but-not-showing-it Ludwig asked.

"You didn't forget about Gilbo, did you?" Klara asked.

"What do you mean?" asked Ludwig.

"You forgot, didn't you?" Klara asked. "We're supposed to pick Gilbo up from nursery school, remember?"

"Oh," said a now embarrassed Ludwig. He had been so focused on trying to win Nina Tucker's heart that he had completely forgotten about his baby brother! _'Oh man, I'm such a crappy brother.'_ "Well, maybe we should go pick him up now."

"Come on," said Klara.

Isabelle came up to the Axis. "Feli, you didn't forget about Savino, did you?"

"Oh no!" said Feliciano. "I'm so sorry! Lovi's not mad at me, is he?"

"No, I'm not," said Lovino. "I was just about to come get you. Come on, Savino's waiting."

"See ya later, Kiku," Ludwig and Feliciano called. They waved to their friend, who decided to go see Melina.

* * *

><p>Ludwig, Klara, Lovino, Feliciano and Isabelle all arrived at the Scuola dell'Infanzia and went inside.<p>

"Hi," Ludwig said. "We're Ludwig and Klara Beilschmidt, here to pick up our brother Gilbert."

"Lovino and Feliciano Vargas," said Lovino. "Here to pick up our brother Savio."

"Gilbert? Savio?" the caretaker of the nursery school called. "Your siblings are here."

Five-year-olds Savio and Gilbert came running to the front desk, smiling as they stopped and saw their siblings.

"Thank you for watching them today," Ludwig said to the woman in charge. "Come on, Gilbo, time to go."

"Bye," said Gilbert.

* * *

><p>"Hey, why don't we go see that new movie that's out?" Isabelle asked once she, Klara, Lovino, Feliciano, Savio, Ludwig, Klara and Gilbert once again met up with Kiku, and Melina.<p>

"You mean that new Mario movie?" asked Klara.

"Yeah," said Isabelle.

"Good idea," said Kiku.

The Axis and their companions all went to the Cinema Regale to go see _Mario e gli Amici e la Più Grande Avventura di Natale Mai!_

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, little four-and-a-half-year-old Vivi went to go see <em>Mario e gli Amici e la Più Grande Avventura di Natale Mai! <em>with Holland and Talho, at the same cinema as the Axis, Isabelle, Klara, Savio, Gilbert and Lovino. Holland and Talho had decided that they wanted to vacation in Italy over the winter holidays in celebration of the war having ended months earlier.

"Ha-ha!" Vivi laughed at Mario trying and failing to get the star on top of a really huge tree in Central Park. "Stupid Mario. He can't put a star on that tree."

"Yeah," Gilbert said, which made Vivi—who was now sitting by herself next to Gilbert, due to Holland and Talho getting her some more candy—jump in her seat.

"Who are you?" Vivi asked. "My name's Vivi."

"I'm Gilbert," Gilbert said. "Nice to meet ya, Vivi."

"Gilbo, who's your friend, little bro?" Ludwig whispered.

"This is Vivi," said Gilbert.

"Aw, hi, Vivi," Ludwig said. He gave Vivi a pat on the head, which reminded Vivi of what her father usually did. "My name's Ludwig. Now, don't laugh at my name, okay?"

"'Kay," said Vivi.

"There you are, Vivi," said Holland. He picked the child up. "Don't switch seats like that, okay? You had me and your mother scared out of our minds."

"Sorry, Daddy," said Vivi. She waved goodbye to Gilbert, who waved goodbye back.

* * *

><p>Unbeknownst to Vivi, Gilbert was the boy her parents were so focused on apprehending! And, unknown to Gilbert, he was just talking to and making friends with the daughter of his family's enemies!<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>_ Hai_- Yes (Japanese)_  
><em>

_San Gabriele Scuola Secondaria di Primo Grado_- Saint Gabriel First Grade Secondary School

_Mario e Amici di Andare a Sciare Sulle Montagne Rocciose_- Mario and Friends Go Skiing in the Rockies (I'm not sure if people go skiing in the Rocky Mountains, but it seems like a Mario thing to do)

_Mario e gli Amici e la Più Grande Avventura di Natale Mai!_- Mario and Friends and the Greatest Christmas Adventure Ever!

P.S.: In case you're wondering who Melina is, she's not fem!Greece; she's Greece's child, who I made up for the story.

P.P.S.: I decided to have Vivi and Gilbert's very first meeting be cute and harmless, because they're little nursery school children at this point. Also, I think Year 2 in first grade secondary school in Italy is kind of like seventh grade here in the United States; I'm not entirely sure.


	17. Gilbert's First Day of School

**Chapter 17: Gilbert's First Day of School**

_September 2, 1946_

Gilbert's eyes opened in a snap as soon as he felt his dogs—a now four-year-old Blackie, three-year-old Berlitz and a nine-month-old Golden Retriever puppy named Aster—licking his face. Gilbert, who was now five and a half, going on six in October, laughed and tried pushing the dogs away as he got out of bed. "Okay, okay, guys. You win, I'm up."

"Gilbo, breakfast is ready," Ludwig said. He was standing in the doorway of his, Klara and Gilbert's room, looking at his baby brother.

"Coming," said Gilbert. He got dressed and followed Ludwig to the kitchen/dining room, where Claus, Germania, Elise and Klara were sitting.

"'bout time you woke up, sleepyhead," Klara said teasingly.

"Are you excited for your first day of school?" Claus asked his son.

"Yeah!" Gilbert said in a psyched manner.

* * *

><p>Ludwig and Klara walked Gilbert to the elementary school, while Lovino and Feliciano were doing the same for Savio.<p>

"See you later, Gilbo," Ludwig said and messed up Gilbert's hair.

"See ya, bro!" said Gilbert. He smiled, waved at his brother and sister and ran inside the school with his best friend to their Year 1 class.

* * *

><p>It was in the classroom where Gilbert saw a familiar face: Vivi. The last time Gilbert had seen his new friend was December 21, 1945, in the cinema.<p>

Vivi was being picked on by Viktor Krum's little brother, Anton.

"What kinda name is Vivi, stupid?" Anton said mockingly to the little girl. He pulled her hair.

"Ow! Cut it out! Stop it! I don't even know you!" said a crying Vivi.

"Leave her alone!" Gilbert shouted. He and Savio stormed across the classroom. Gilbert took Anton by the shirt and punched him in the nose.

"Beilschmidt! You…my big brother's gonna kick your ass!" an angry Anton said.

"Leave the girl alone," Gilbert growled at Anton.

"Fine," said Anton. He pouted and walked away.

Gilbert helped Vivi up. "Hey, Vivi. You okay?"

"Gilbert?" Vivi said in surprise. "You're going to school, too?"

"Yeah," said Gilbert. "Are you alright? Anton didn't hurt you, did he?"

"I'm fine," said Vivi. "Who's your friend?"

"My name's Savio," Savio replied.

"When did ya move to Venice?" Gilbert asked as he, Vivi and Savio sat down at a desk together.

"Last week," said Vivi. "My mommy and daddy said they didn't like Czechoslovakia anymore."

"Wanna come over my house after school?" Gilbert asked.

"Sure!" said Vivi.

"Good," Gilbert said with a smile. "Oh, you don't have to worry about Anton anymore." He noticed Vivi was looking warily at Anton, who was two desks down. "He won't bother you again, 'cause I kicked his ass."

"Thanks," said Vivi.

* * *

><p>After school, Gilbert, Savio and Vivi walked with Lovino, Feliciano, Ludwig and Klara back home.<p>

"Mommy, I'm home," Gilbert said.

"Hi, Gilbo," Elise said and gave Gilbert a big hug. "How was your first day of school?"

"Great," said Gilbert. "Guess who's in my class."

"Savino?" Elise asked.

"Yup," said Gilbert. "Vivi, too."

"Vivi?" asked a puzzled Elise as Blackie, Berlitz and Aster went up to Ludwig, Klara and Gilbert, jumping on them and licking them.

"Yeah," said Gilbert. "Guys, down." He laughed as he gently nudged the dogs off him. Then he introduced Elise to his friend. "This is Vivi. She's my friend from the movies."

"Nice to meet you, Vivi," said Elise. "I'm Gilbert's mommy, Elise."

"Vivi's from Czechoslovakia," said Gilbert. "Her mommy and daddy didn't like it there anymore, so they moved here last week."

* * *

><p>Gilbert showed Vivi some of his toys, and they played together, until Vivi saw the time.<p>

"Gilbo, I have to go now," Vivi said. "Can you walk me home?"

"Sure," said Gilbert. "Hey, Mommy, Daddy, I'm gonna walk Vivi home."

"Okay," said Elise. "As long as Lui goes with you."

"Okay," said Gilbert.

"Come on, little bro," Ludwig said. He got ready to go with Gilbert, Savio and Vivi, and walked out the door with the children.

"See ya tomorrow," Savio said. He went to his house, and the Beilschmidt brothers and Vivi went to Vivi's house.

* * *

><p>Just then, Holland came out. He saw Vivi with Ludwig and Gilbert. "Vivi, where have you been?" He didn't sound too happy.<p>

"But, Daddy, I—" Vivi began.

"I told you to come straight home after school," said Holland. He took Vivi's hand and pulled her away from Ludwig and Gilbert. "Your mother's worried sick, and we were just about to call the police."

"I'm sorry, Daddy," said an apologetic Vivi.

"Come inside, young lady," Holland said firmly. He took a long look at Gilbert and considered grabbing him and fleeing Italy with Talho and Vivi, but decided against it, since Ludwig—even though the boy was only thirteen—looked like someone Holland didn't want to mess with. Also, he realized that Vivi had successfully made friends with Gilbert!

Vivi looked at Gilbert and Ludwig. "Bye, guys. See you tomorrow, Gilbo."

"Bye," said Gilbert.

* * *

><p>Ludwig and Gilbert walked home after Holland took Vivi inside.<p>

Gilbert saw Ludwig looking back at the house with a hateful glare. "Big Brother? What's wrong?"

"Huh?" Ludwig asked, snapped out of his thoughts.

"You look mad," said Gilbert. "Are you mad at Vivi?"

"No," Ludwig said gently. He bent down to Gilbert's level, taking his brother by the shoulders. "No, I'm not mad at Vivi. She didn't do anything wrong."

"Are you mad at her dad?" asked Gilbert.

"Uh…yeah," Ludwig replied. "I'm mad at Vivi's dad for…uh…yelling at Vivi like that." he stood back up, and both he and Gilbert kept walking. It was true that Ludwig was mad at Holland, but not for the reason he told Gilbert. He was mad at Holland for trying to kidnap his baby brother so many times over the past six years.

Ludwig and Gilbert finally made it home and went into their house.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, at the Yuki-Novak's house, Holland and Talho were talking to Vivi.<p>

"Vivi, we're proud of you, honey," said Talho.

"For what?" asked Vivi.

"For making friends with that Gilbert kid," said Holland. "Pretty soon, you can lure him to me, your mother and the rest of the Gekkostate."

Vivi looked shocked. "But Daddy, Gilbert's my friend! I don't wanna trick him."

"Listen, Vivi, we know you just made friends with the kid, but Mommy, Daddy and their friends need Gilbert so Daddy can buy pimp stuff from Mister Ivan and look cool," said Talho.

"I'm not tricking Gilbo," said Vivi.

"Vivi," said an exasperated Holland. "This kid has been all we were going after since right before you were born. Now, please, do this one thing for me and Mommy and our friends, okay?"

"Okay," Vivi managed to choke out. Her first day of school, and she already had to betray her new friend! Poor Vivi.


	18. Play Date

**Author's Note: **I decided to skip to when Gilbert's eight years old, just because I couldn't think of what to put for when he was seven.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18: Play Date<strong>

_November 13, 1948_

The Beilschmidts, Vargas' and Hondas were at the park on a beautiful day. Gilbert, Savio, Yong Soo and Roderich and Elizabeta's five-year-old daughter, Hannah, were playing games, while Lovino went with his girlfriend, Alessia, to the Teatro Universale to see a movie.

* * *

><p>"Lui, could you watch Gilbo for a little bit?" Elise asked a now fifteen-year-old Ludwig, who was preoccupied with spending his time with Nina Tucker (he was still trying to figure out how to ask her to be his girlfriend without sounding awkward).<p>

"Do I have to?" Ludwig whined. "Okay, I will." He went over to the children when Elise gave him a look that said "Don't sass me today." Ludwig turned to look at Nina. "Bye, Nina."

"Come on, Nina," said Shou Tucker. He gave Ludwig a scary glare that said "Keep away from my daughter, Mudgig." "Let's go."

"Bye," Nina said as her father led her away from the park. Ludwig waved, then gulped when Tucker gave him another keep-away-from-my-daughter glare.

* * *

><p>Once Ludwig was over with the kids, a teenage girl named Gidget came up to him.<p>

"Hey," Gidget said and smiled. She flipped her hair, then looked over to some bushes, where her boyfriend, Moondoggie, gave a nod and told her to keep talking to Ludwig. "You're cute."

Ludwig turned around and turned slightly red. "Uh…h-h-hi…my name's Mudgig Beershit…No, it's Ludwig Beilschmidt…yeah…"

Gidget laughed. "You're funny, Ludwig. My name's Gidget."

"Gidget," Ludwig said, awestruck at the girl sitting next to him.

Gidget pointed towards Gilbert, who was getting ready to play another game with his friends. "That your brother?"

"Yeah," Ludwig replied. "How'd you know that?"

"You two look alike," said Gidget. "He's so adorable! How old?"

"Gilbo's eight," said Ludwig. "Uh, Gidget…will you go out with me?"

Gidget stole a glance at Moondoggie again. Moondoggie signaled for her to say "yes". Then she turned back to Ludwig. "Sure! I'd love to go out with you."

'_Yay, happy day! Happy day for meeeee!' _Ludwig thought with glee.

* * *

><p>While Ludwig was distracted by him and Gidget kissing, Vivi ran over to Gilbert and the other children.<p>

"Hi, Gilbo," Vivi said.

"Vivi, hi!" said Gilbert.

"Whatcha doin'?" Vivi asked.

"We're playing Manhunt," said Gilbert. "Wanna play?"

"Sure," said Vivi. She and Gilbert went in a wooded area to hide, while Yong Soo, being the eldest of the kids, was "It". He had his eyes covered so he couldn't see where the other kids were.

"Vivi, what's wrong?" Gilbert asked. He saw that his friend didn't look too happy. "Are you scared? 'cause these woods aren't scary at all."

"Uh, yeah, that's it," Vivi lied. The truth was, she really didn't want Gilbert to hide in the woods; that was where Ken-Goh and Hap were hiding, waiting for her to bring Gilbert to them!

"Well, don't worry," said Gilbert. "I'll protect you."

Just as Yong Soo was walking around looking for everyone, Vivi and Gilbert heard heavy footsteps behind them.

Vivi suddenly got scared and decided she didn't want to betray Gilbert.

"Don't worry, Vivi," Gilbert said. "Just don't look behind you, and follow me."

"Okay," Vivi whispered. She followed Gilbert, but felt him pushing her ahead of him.

"Go!" Gilbert whispered. "I'll take care of whoever's behind us." Gilbert turned around and gasped at Ken-Goh and Hap, then backed away, scared out of his mind. "Vivi…run."

Vivi started to run, but stopped and tried to help Gilbert get away.

"Hello, boy," Ken-Goh said.

"Time to go," said Hap. He took out a cloth with chloroform on it.

Gilbert got more scared and started running, pushing Vivi ahead, but felt Ken-Goh and Hap grab his arms. "Run! Vivi, ru—mmph!" He struggled until he felt the chloroform working and fell asleep. Hap and Ken-Goh signaled to Moondoggie that they got the boy, then Moondoggie signaled to Gidget.

* * *

><p>Gidget stood up. "Sorry, Ludwig, but I've gotta go. See ya."<p>

"Wait!" said a lovestruck Ludwig. "Will I see you again?"

"Nope," said Gidget. She smirked and disappeared into the woods.

* * *

><p>"Gilbo!" Vivi exclaimed when Ken-Goh, Hap, Gidget and Moondoggie walked away with Gilbert tucked under Hap's arm. She ran after the Gekkostate members and started throwing rocks at them. "Let him go! Now!" She then tackled Hap and made him drop Gilbert.<p>

The commotion caused Ludwig, Feliciano, Kiku, Yong Soo, Savio and Hannah to come running into the woods. Ludwig was stunned to see Gidget, the girl he thought loved him, siding with the Gekkostate! He then saw Vivi attacking the Gekkostate members and causing them to run away without Gilbert.

"Gilbo," said Vivi as Ludwig and the others rushed over to her and Gilbert. "Gilbo, wake up. You're safe now."

Gilbert moaned and slowly opened his eyes. He was still drugged from the chloroform. "Vivi…big brother…"

Ludwig, even though he was glad his baby brother was safe, was still down in the dumps about Gidget. "I…I can't believe she betrayed me like that…why?" He picked Gilbert up, embraced him and thanked Vivi for saving Gilbert.

"It's alright, Lui," said Kiku. "You'll find someone, trust me."

Ludwig looked at Kiku. "You really think so?"

"Yeah," Vivi said, backing Kiku up and trying to cheer Lui up.

* * *

><p>When Ludwig, Feliciano, Kiku, Yong Soo, Savio, Gilbert, Vivi and Hannah came out of the woods, Klara, Isabelle, Claus, Elise, Gabriella, Giuseppe, Daisuke, Mulan, Roderich and Elizabeta ran up to the kids.<p>

"Oh my God," Elise said when Ludwig handed a half-conscious Gilbert to her. "Lui, what happened?"

"Those guys tried to take Gilbo again," said Ludwig. "Vivi saved him, though. Good thing she was with him. And…Gidget's one of them!"

"Thank you so much, Vivi," said Claus. "And who's Gidget?"

"She's this girl who came up to me while I was watching Gilbo," Ludwig replied. "She said I was cute, and she even said she wanted to go out with me, but it turns out she's with _those _people! She must've tried to distract me to get Gilbo. I thought she loved me."

"I'm so sorry, son," Claus said quietly. He put his arm around poor Lui.

"How dare that bitch do that to my big brother?" Klara said, angry at Gidget using Ludwig like that. She then turned to speak to Isabelle, who was at her side. "The next time that Gidget bitch shows up, I'll make her wish she never came to Venice!"

"And I'll help ya do that," said an equally angry Isabelle. "I'll write to Francis in America, and I'll tell him to get his ass back to Venice so he can do his usual thing to that Gidget-or-whatever-her-name-is."

* * *

><p>When Vivi returned home, she was reprimanded by Holland and Talho for her actions in the park today.<p>

"Why didn't you let Ken-Goh and Hap bring Gilbert to HQ?" Holland asked. He didn't look too happy with his daughter.

"Because he's my friend," Vivi said, a defiant look in her eyes.

"You know the importance of that child," said Talho. "Vivi, you can't keep saving Gilbert just because he's your friend. And we told you to _pretend _to be his friend, not really be his friend."

"But—" said Vivi.

"What you did caused utter humiliation for the Gekkostate today," said Holland.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," said Vivi. "I'm really sorry."

"Your uncle Dewey's laughing at me right now," said Holland. "He just called me up just to laugh at me and call me a loser."

"Holland, I think she gets it," said Talho.

"Mommy, Daddy, I'm sorry for embarrassing you," said Vivi.

* * *

><p>When she went to bed that night, Vivi was mad at Gilbert for her getting harshly chastised by her parents. But she didn't hate him. She couldn't; it wasn't his fault! Right?<p> 


	19. The Axis in Romeo and Juliet!

**Chapter 19: The Axis in Romeo and Juliet!**

_December 7, 1949_

Ludwig was pacing around the boys' dressing room of the _San Marco Scuola Secondaria di Secondo Grado_. He was really nervous about that night's play which he had the lead in; the play was _Romeo and Juliet_, and Lui was, of course, playing the part of Romeo, and his girlfriend, Nina Tucker, was playing none other than Juliet. Lui was so nervous he kept on messing up his lines, and his normally neat, slicked-back hair was disheveled, and his bangs hung across his forehead.

"What is it else? a madness most dipshit—no, _discreet_!—A choking girl—I mean, _gall_!—and a preserving sweet. Farewell, my cock—No, no, not cock…_coz_!" Ludwig said, trying like hell to remember his lines.

"Like, chillax, dude," Feliks, who was playing the role of the Prince, said while getting into costume.

"Feliks, you really shouldn't put your hair in pigtails," said Toris, who was playing the role of Paris. "You're a prince, not a princess, remember?"

"But, Liet, wouldn't it, like, be funny if the prince totally came out with his hair up like a little girl?" Feliks asked.

"Yeah, but the teacher would get mad," said Toris. "He takes pride in his productions."

"Right," said Feliks. He resignedly took his hair down and put the fake crown on. "Like, Feli, how do I look?"

"Like a real prince," said Feliciano. He was getting dressed into his Benvolio costume, while Kiku was getting ready for his role as the Chorus, or Narrator.

"Feli, you've got your costume on backwards," Kiku said.

"Oh," said an embarrassed Feliciano. "Thanks, Kiku." He adjusted his costume.

Viktor Krum came out in his Tybalt costume. He didn't look too happy about not being cast as the male lead. "Why is it that Mudgig Beershit gets cast as Romeo, and I get cast as a guy who's gonna be killed by Romeo?"

"Because you're a total jerk," Feliks retorted.

"Oh, shut up," said Viktor. "Go back to Warsaw, Lukasiewicz.

"Like, no," said Feliks. "Like, you go back to Sofia, Krum."

Feliks and Viktor stuck their tongues out at each other, while Toris, Ludwig, Feliciano, Kiku and the other male actors looked on.

"Guys, you're on in five minutes," a crew member said, popping into the dressing room.

"Thanks," said Kiku. "Lui, calm down. You'll do great."

Ludwig took a breath and smoothed his hair. "Thanks, Kiku."

* * *

><p>The students of San Marco Scuola Secondaria di Secondo Grado's Year 3 class headed to the backstage of the theater five minutes later. Ludwig, Kiku and Feliciano took a peek at how large the audience was.<p>

* * *

><p>In the audience were: Claus, Elise, Klara and Gilbert; Daisuke, Mulan, Yao, Chi, Kaoru, Mei and Yong Soo; Giuseppe, Gabriella, Lovino, Savio, Pierre, Amanda, Isabelle, Eduardo and Maria; Ignacy and Aurelia; Mykolas, Rasa, Eduard and Raivis; Roderich, Elizabeta and Hannah (being the Beilschmidts' friends); Mila and Anton; Shou Tucker; and a whole bunch of other families and friends of the students.<p>

"I can't wait to see Lui in the play," Gilbert said excitedly.

* * *

><p>"Wow, that's a lot of people, guys," said Feliciano.<p>

"I know," Ludwig mumbled as he and his friends pulled back from the curtain. "Don't remind me; I'm nervous enough as it is."

* * *

><p>The play started a few minutes later. Kiku entered on stage first, as the Chorus of the play.<p>

Kiku: Two households, both alike in dignity,

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean…

* * *

><p>"Lui, I thought we were in Venice," Feliciano whispered as Kiku continued his monologue.<p>

Ludwig face palmed. "Feli, we _are_ in Venice. The play is _set_ in Verona."

* * *

><p>A little later, as the first act of the play went on, Feliciano entered as Benvolio and approached two students who were playing the parts of Abraham, Balthasar, Sampson and Gregory.<p>

Feliciano: Part, fools!

Put up your swords; you know not what you do.

Feliciano beat down the students' swords, while Viktor Krum as Tybalt entered.

Viktor hit Feliciano on the head with his fake sword.

"Ow!" said Feliciano. He whispered. "Viktor, don't do that. You're not supposed to hit Benvolio on the head."

"Oh, shut up, Vargas," Viktor whispered. He then got into character, against his will because he wanted to continue hitting Feliciano.

Viktor: What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?

Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.

Feliciano: No! White flag! White flag!

Feliciano took out a white flag and waved it, while the audience laughed. Lovino face palmed, while Savio and Isabelle burst into laughter.

"Feliciano," Lovino said to himself.

Feliciano (after getting his lines together): I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword

Or manage it to part these men with me.

Viktor: What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word,

As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee!

Have at thee, coward!

Viktor chased Feliciano across the stage and hit him on the head with his fake sword, while Feliciano, instead of fighting Viktor, ran away crying. The audience laughed more.

* * *

><p>After the students playing the citizens and Capulet and Lady Capulet entered and said their lines, it was time for Feliks' part as the Prince.<p>

Feliks: Like, rebellious subjects, enemies to peace,

Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel—

Like, will they not hear? Like, what, ho! you men, you beasts,

That totally quench the fire of your _totally _pernicious rage

With purple fountains _totally_ issuing from your veins,

On pain of torture, from those bloody hands

Throw your mistemper'd weapons to the ground,

And, like, hear the sentence of your _totally_ moved prince.

Like, three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,

By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,

Have, like, thrice _totally_ disturb'd the quiet of our streets,

And, like, made Verona's ancient citizens

Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments,

To wield old partisans, in hands as old,

Totally canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate:

If you, like, ever disturb our streets again,

Your lives shall _totally _pay the forfeit of the peace.

For this time, all the rest, like, depart away:

You, Capulet, shall totally go along with me:

And, Montague, come you, like, this afternoon,

To, like, know our further pleasure in this case,

To old Free-town, our common judgment-place.

Like, once more, on _total_ pain of death, all men, like, depart.

Feliks flipped his hair as he and the other actors—except for Feliciano and the other two students playing Montague and Lady Montague—exited the stage.

* * *

><p>"Like, that's my boy," Ignacy said quietly.<p>

"Totally," said Aurelia. Both she and her husband were proud of their son.

* * *

><p>After Feliciano's conversation with "Montague" and "Lady Montague", Ludwig shook nervously before going on stage and joining Feliciano.<p>

"Don't worry," Feliciano whispered.

"O…Okay," Ludwig whispered back.

Feliciano: Good-morrow, cousin.

Ludwig: Ja, it's a good-morrow. (realizing his mistake, then getting back on track) Is the day so young?

* * *

><p>The audience laughed at Ludwig's little slip-up.<p>

* * *

><p>Feliciano: But new struck nine.<p>

Ludwig: Ay me! sad hours seem long.

Was that my father that went hence so fast?

Feliciano: It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours?

Ludwig: (mumbling) Not seeing Nina yet. (speaking up, getting back on track again) Not having that, which, having, makes them short.

Feliciano: In love?

Ludwig: Out—

Feliciano: Of love?

Ludwig: What are you talking about—Out of her favor, where I am in love, duh!

* * *

><p>Klara and Gilbert laughed again, as did Claus and Elise, and the rest of the audience.<p>

"I wish your father was alive to see this," Elise said through tears of laughter. "He'd be cracking up!"

"I know," Claus said through gasps for air.

"Lui's funny," Gilbert said to Klara.

* * *

><p>Feliciano: Alas, that love, so gentle in his view,<p>

Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!

Ludwig: Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still,

Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will!

Where shall we dine? I'm hungry!

The audience laughed again, especially Gilbert and Klara.

Ludwig: O me! What fray was here?

Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all.

You hear that? Don't. tell. Me!

Feliciano: Okay, okay, Romeo. Calm down.

* * *

><p>Again, the audience laughed.<p>

* * *

><p>Ludwig: Here's much to do with hate, but more with love.<p>

Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!

O any thing, of nothing first create!

O heavy lightness! serious vanity!

Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms!

Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire,

sick health!

This love feel I, that feel no love in this.

Dost thou not laugh?

Feliciano: No, coz, I rather weep.

Ludwig: Good heart, at what?

Feliciano: At thy good heart's oppression.

Ludwig: Why, such is love's transgression.

Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast,

Which thou wilt propagate, to have it prest

With more of thine: this love that thou hast shown

Doth add more grief to too much of mine own.

Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs;

Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes;

Being vex'd a sea nourish'd with lovers' tears:

What is it else? a madness most discreet,

A choking gall and a preserving sweet.

Farewell, my coz.

* * *

><p>When Ludwig said these lines, he started thinking of when Gidget betrayed him by using him to try and kidnap Gilbert a year earlier.<p>

* * *

><p>Later, in the second act of the play, Ludwig and Nina were having their Romeo-and-Juliet-alone moment, at the balcony.<p>

Ludwig: I take thee at thy word:

Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized;

Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

Nina: What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night

So stumblest on my counsel?

Ludwig: By a name

I know not how to tell thee who I am:

My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,

Because it is an enemy to thee;

Had I it written, I would tear the word.

Nina: My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words

Of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the sound:

Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?

Ludwig: Neither, fair saint, if either thee dislike.

Nina: How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?

The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,

And the place death, considering who thou art,

If any of my kinsmen find thee here.

Ludwig: With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls;

For stony limits cannot hold love out,

And what love can do that dares love attempt;

Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me.

Nina: If they do see thee, they will murder thee.

* * *

><p>After Act II, during intermission, Ludwig and Nina were busy making out in the hall in front of the dressing rooms. Viktor came up.<p>

"Hey, Mudgig, you need to get ready to kill me," said Viktor.

"That's not my name," Ludwig said, then went back to his girlfriend.

"Yeah, that's not his name," said Nina.

"Whatever," said Viktor.

"You know, Krum, you didn't have to hit Feliciano and chase him across the stage in Act I!" said Ludwig. "I don't think the teacher's really happy with your performance, but he said that since the audience thought it was funny, he won't hold anything against you."

"Pfft," Viktor said. He walked into the boys' dressing room.

* * *

><p>During Act III…<p>

Viktor: Well, peace be with you, sir: here comes my man.

Zoro: But I'll be hanged, sir, if he wear your livery:

Marry, go before to field, he'll be your follower;

Your worship in that sense may call him 'man'.

Viktor: Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford

No better term than this,—thou art a villain.

Ludwig: Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee

Doth much excuse the appertaining rage

To such a greeting: villain am I none;

Therefore farewell; I see thou know'st me not.

Viktor: Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries

That thou hast hone me; therefore turn and draw.

Ludwig: I do protest, I never injured thee,

But love thee better than thou canst devise,

Till thou shalt know the reason of my love:

And so, good Capulet,—which name I tender

As dearly as my own,—be satisfied.

Zoro: O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!

Alla stoccata carries it away.

(draws) Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?

Viktor: What wouldst thou have with me?

Student playing Mercutio: Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives; that I mean to make bold withal, and as you shall use me hereafter, dry beat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pitcher by the ears? make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out.

Viktor: I am for you. (drawing)

Ludwig: Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.

Student playing Mercutio: Come, sir, your passado.

(they fight)

Ludwig: Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons.

Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage!

Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath

Forbidden bandying in Verona streets:

Hold, Tybalt! good Mercutio!

* * *

><p>After a while, the fight ended with Ludwig "killing" Viktor, then fleeing the scene. The act ended with Nina "grieving" for Viktor being "dead" and Ludwig being "banished".<p>

* * *

><p>During intermission, Toris and Nina were getting ready for their interaction in the beginning of Act IV.<p>

"Hope you're proud of killing me, Mudgig," said Viktor.

"Shut up, Krum," said a now annoyed Ludwig. "I'm just glad Tybalt's dead, so I don't have to deal with you. Oh, and your brother better stop picking on my brother. Got it?"

"Your brother's a wuss," said Viktor. "Geez, he's nine fucking years old, and he can't fight his way out a paper bag."

"Don't say that about Gilbo, you dick!" Ludwig said.

"Like, _very _mature, guys," said Feliks.

* * *

><p>Toris and Nina, along with Usopp, who was playing Friar Laurence, went on stage.<p>

Toris: Happily met, my lady and my wife!

Nina: That may be, sir, when I may be a wife.

Toris: That may be must be, love, on Thursday next.

* * *

><p>'<em>I wish I was doing this with Natalia,' <em>Toris thought about the girl he had only one date with over the summer.

* * *

><p>Nina: What must be shall be.<p>

Usopp: That's a certain text.

Toris: Come you to make confession to this father?

Nina: To answer that, I should confess to you.

Toris: Do not deny to him that you love me.

Nina: I will confess to you that I love him.

Toris: So will ye, I am sure, that you love me.

Nina: If I do so, it will be of more price,

Being spoke behind your back, than to your face.

Toris: Poor soul, thy face is much abused with tears.

Nina: The tears have got small victory by that;

For it was bad enough before their spite.

Toris: Thou wrong'st it, more than tears, with that report.

Nina: That is no slander, sir, which is a truth;

And what I spake, I spake it to my face.

Toris: Thy face is mine, and thou hast slander'd it.

Nina: It may be so, for it is not mine own.

Are you at leisure, holy father, now;

Or shall I come to you at evening mass?

Usopp: My leisure serves me, pensive daughter, now.

My lord, we must entreat the time alone.

Toris: God shield I should disturb devotion!

Juliet, on Thursday early I will rouse ye:

Till then, adieu; and keep this holy kiss.

* * *

><p>Ludwig looked a little jealous when he saw Toris giving Nina a light kiss, but he assured himself that the kiss was just fake.<p>

* * *

><p>Nina: O shut the door! and when thou hast done so,<p>

Come weep with me; past hope, past cure, past help!

Usopp: Ah, Juliet, I already know thy grief;

It strains me past the compass of my wits:

I hear thou must, and nothing may prorogue it,

On Thursday next be married to this county.

Nina: Tell me not, friar, that thou hear'st of this,

Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it:

If, in thy wisdom, thou canst give no help,

Do thou but call my resolution wise,

And with this knife I'll help it presently.

God join'd my heart and Romeo's, thou our hands;

And ere this hand, by thee to Romeo seal'd… (etc., etc.)

* * *

><p>Much later, in the final act of the play, "Romeo" saw "Juliet" lying in the Capulets' tomb, seemingly dead. He then took out a vial of "poison" and drank it.<p>

Ludwig: O true apothecary!

Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.

* * *

><p>Ludwig almost went giddy when he got to kiss Nina. Then he lay down and "died".<p>

* * *

><p>Later…<p>

Nina: What's here? a cup, closed in my true love's hand?

Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end:

O churl! Drunk all, and left no friendly drop

To help me after? I will kiss thy lips;

Haply some poison yet doth hang on them,

To make die with a restorative. (kisses him)

Thy lips are warm. (hears noise outside)

Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief. O happy dagger! (snatches Ludwig's fake dagger)

This is thy sheath; (stabs herself)

There, rust, and let me die.

* * *

><p>Nina fell on Ludwig's "dead" body and "died" herself.<p>

* * *

><p>Later…<p>

Feliks: Like, what misadventure is so early up,

That calls our person from our morning's rest?

* * *

><p>The other actors came onstage and saw the "bodies" of "Romeo" and "Juliet", and grieved for the loss of the young couple.<p>

* * *

><p>"Big Brother," Gilbert said and sniffled. He really thought Ludwig died!<p>

"It's alright, Gilbo," Klara assured her baby brother. "Lui's not really dead; he's just acting."

"Really?" Gilbert said, looking at Klara with big eyes.

"Yeah," Klara said with a smile. "This is just a play. It isn't real."

"Okay," said Gilbert.

* * *

><p>At the end, Feliks, as the Prince, got the last monologue of the play.<p>

Feliks: Like, a totally glooming peace this morning with it brings;

The sun, for total sorrow, will, like, not show his head:

Like, go hence, to have more talk of these totally sad things;

Some shall be totally pardon'd, and some totally punished:

For, like, never was a story of more woe

Than this of Juliet and, like, her Romeo. (flips his hair again)

* * *

><p>The curtain closed, and the audience applauded…except for Holland and Talho, who were just rolling their eyes. Vivi wasn't clapping, either, but only because her parents weren't.<p>

* * *

><p>"That wasn't a very good performance of <em>Romeo and Juliet<em>," said Holland.

"You said it," said Talho. "I mean, Ludwig sucked! And that Polish kid…he kept putting "like" and "totally" in every sentence, and flipping his hair at the end of every monologue he did!"

"I didn't think it was bad," said Vivi.

Holland and Talho sighed exasperatedly.

"Oh, Vivi, Vivi, Vivi," said Holland. "We have to show you some better acting one of these days."

"What about getting Gilbert?" Talho asked. "We came here to do that, remember?"

"But Ludwig's gonna be back, and he's not someone I want to mess with right now," said Holland.

* * *

><p>Backstage, the Axis and their friends were celebrating a job well done.<p>

"They loved us!" said Ludwig. "They really loved us!"

"Yeah," said Feliciano.

"Like, hell yeah!" said Feliks.

Ludwig brought out some bottles. "Beer, anyone?"

"Yeah!" everyone except for Feliciano and Kiku exclaimed. After everyone changed back into their normal clothes, the other students each took a bottle of beer and downed the things. Ludwig and Nina then had a make-out session in the guys' dressing room, until Shou Tucker came looking for Nina.

"Come on, Nina," scary Tucker said. He glared at Ludwig, who shrunk back into a corner. Then he took Nina's hand and led her away from Ludwig.

"Bye, Lui," Nina said. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye," Ludwig said. He got up from the corner of the room and went to go greet his family.

* * *

><p>"Wow, you were great, bro!" Gilbert said as Ludwig picked him up and messed up his hair.<p>

"Yeah," said Klara. "You were funny, too."

"You're referring to my slip-ups, aren't you, Klara?" Ludwig asked.

"Yeah," said Klara. "I still thought it was funny, and you did a great job with saving your part on the spot."

"Really?" Ludwig asked modestly.

"Yes," said Claus. "I just wish your grandfather was still here to see you tonight."

"He would've laughed his head off," said Elise.

* * *

><p>"Wow, Feli, you did great," said Giuseppe. "We're proud of you, son."<p>

"Yeah," said Savio. "You were awesome, bro."

"Really?" asked Feliciano. "I was awesome?"

"Yeah!" said Savio. "Like when you yelled 'White flag!' That was my favorite part."

"I think you did great," said Lovino. "Although you could've fought Viktor and kicked him in the nuts."

"Lovi, he couldn't kick Viktor in the nuts," said Isabelle. "And I loved the whole play, Feli."

"Thanks, Is," said Feliciano. "Where are Francis and Tony?"

"They're still in America," said Isabelle. "They wanted to come, but they couldn't make it because of exams."

"That sucks," said Feliciano.

"I just wish your grandpa was here to see this," said Gabriella. "He would've loved it."

* * *

><p>"I own you, Kiku!" said Yong Soo. He grabbed Kiku's chest from behind, scaring the poor guy.<p>

"Get off me," said Kiku.

"You were great, aru," said Yao. "And Yong Soo, get off Kiku!"

"Oh, alright," said Yong Soo. He got off Kiku and pouted.

"You're eleven years old, Yong Soo," said Chi. "I think you're getting to be a bit old to be "owning" people by now."

"Congratulations, son," said Daisuke.

"You did very well, aru," Mulan added.

"You were cool!" Kaoru and Mei said at the same time.

"Thanks, everyone," said Kiku.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>_San Marco Scuola Secondaria di Secondo Grado_- Saint Mark Second Grade Secondary School (basically, it's the Italian equivalent of high school)

Oh, I didn't use all of the play _Romeo and Juliet_ because I knew it would take too long, and I wanted to include interactions in the audience and backstage.


	20. Gilbert's School Play

**Chapter 20: Gilbert's School Play  
><strong>

_December 1, 1950  
><em>

The students of San Francesco Scuola Primaria's Year 5 class were busy rehearsing after the school day ended; the class decided that, for their winter play, they would put on Christmas play, to go along with the upcoming winter break, which was coming up in twenty-one days.

* * *

><p>"Okay," said Tsubaki Nakatsukasa, who was the director in place of their teacher. "As you all know, we are going to put on a Christmas play. And since Maestra Abbiati is out sick for today, I will be taking over as director, maybe for the rest of the rehearsals. Due to the shortage of time, why don't we begin by reviewing the basic signs?"<p>

"But we already leaned that, Tsubaki," Black*Star said.

"Don't interrupt me, Black*Star," Tsubaki said. "Now, let's begin. When I point to the right, it means 'focus attention stage right'. When I make a sliding motion across my throat, it means 'cut the scene short'. When I twirl my arm around, it means 'pick up the tempo'. If I spread my hands apart, it means 'slow down'."

A boy named Tommaso Mantovani started playing the piano, and everyone started dancing, some even playing instruments.

"It's the spirit of the actors that counts!" Tsubaki tried to say over the music. "The interest they show in their director! Am I right? I said 'Am I right'?"

Gilbert, Ciel, Black*Star, Renji, Savio, Elizabeth, Anton, and the other students of the class were goofing off, much to Tsubaki's chagrin.

Tsubaki had had just about enough. "Stop the music!" The music abruptly stopped. "Alright now. We're going to do this play, and we're going to do it right." She turned to Renji and handed him a bunch of papers and clothes. "I see Maestra Abbiati didn't hand out your parts yet. Renji, get those costumes and scripts and pass 'em out. Now, the script boy will be handing out your parts."

* * *

><p>Renji went up to a girl named Marisa Parodi and handed her a costume and script. "You're the innkeeper's wife."<p>

Marisa played with her hair. "Do innkeepers' wives have naturally curly hair?"

Renji rolled his eyes and went over to Anton. "Anton, you're the innkeeper."

"In spite of my outward appearance, I shall try to run a neat inn," a dirty Anton said.

* * *

><p>Renji went over to Gilbert and Savio. "Gilbo, Savino, you're both shepherds." He handed the duo scripts and costumes and walked away.<p>

Gilbert and Savio both looked at each other.

"Every Christmas, it's the same," said Gilbert.

"We always end up playing shepherds," Savio said.

* * *

><p>Renji went over to a bunch of other kids and handed them scripts and animal costumes. "Vito, Primo, Zaira, Maka, Soul, Kid, Liz, Patty, you guys will have to be all the animals in our play. Can any of you be sheep?"<p>

Kid, Liz and Patty successfully imitated sheep.

"Good," said Renji. "How about cows?"

Vito, Primo and Zaira each did a successful cow imitation.

"Okay, how about a penguin or two?" asked Renji.

Maka and Soul danced around like penguins.

"Yup," said Renji. "These two make good penguins."

"Roar!" the eight children yelled. They then kept on goofing off behind Renji's back, pretending to shoot him and a bunch of other things. This pissed Renji off.

"No, no, no!" said Renji, making the kids fall back. "Listen all of you! You've got to take direction! You've got to have discipline! You've gotta have respect for your director!" He then saw that Vito, Primo, Zaira, Maka, Soul, Kid, Liz and Patty were mimicking him. "I oughta slug you guys!" He tried to punch the kids, but they ducked. Patty kissed him on the cheek and doubled over laughing. "Ugh! I've been kissed by a girl! I've got cooties! Get hot water, get some disinfectant, get some iodine!" Renji ran away from the kids.

"Blah!" Patty said and pouted.

"Just ignore him, Patty," Liz said.

* * *

><p>Renji ran right past an annoyed-looking Tsubaki. "AAAAAGH!"<p>

Tsubaki sighed and rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright, script boy, continue with the scripts!"

* * *

><p>Renji came up to Ciel, who was holding a blanket and wearing his father's ring. "Ciel, you've gotta get rid of that stupid ring and blanket! Now here." He thrust a costume and script into Ciel's hands. "Memorize these lines."<p>

Ciel looked at the script. "I can't memorize these lines. This is ridiculous."

"Memorize them and be ready to recite when your cue comes," said Renji.

"I can't memorize something like this so quickly," Ciel whined. "Why should I, _a Phantomhive_, be put through such agony? Give me one good reason why I—the head of the Phantomhive family—should memorize this!"

Man, was Renji pissed at Ciel now! "I'll give you five good reasons." He held his hand open and closed each finger as he counted, making a fist. "One, two, three, four, five."

Ciel shook and backed away. "Those are good reasons. Man, Christmas now isn't only getting too commercial—in my opinion—it's getting too dangerous."

"And get rid of that stupid ring and blanket!" said Renji. "What's a Christmas shepherd gonna look like holding a stupid blanket like _that_…and wearing that ring, too? _Kami no ai no tame ni_, you're almost eleven freaking years old; you shouldn't even have a blanket! And what shepherd wears a ring like that?"

"Well, I'll take the ring off, _Sir Renji_," Ciel said, placing sarcastic emphasis on the "Sir Renji" part. He took the ring off, but didn't let go of the blanket. "But this is one shepherd who's gonna keep his trusty blanket with him. "See, you wouldn't hit an instant shepherd, would you?" Ciel put the blanket on his head like a shepherd's head covering.

* * *

><p>Renji was about to hit Ciel but begrudgingly decided not to. Then he walked back over to Tsubaki. "Okay, Miss Director. The cast is set. Take over."<p>

"Alright, let's have it quiet," said Tsubaki. "Tommaso, set the mood for the first scene."

Tommaso played music, but it was the wrong kind of music!

"Cut, cut! No, no, no!" said Tsubaki. She went over to Anton and Marisa. Marisa was fanning herself with a mirror, while dirty, stinky Anton stood next to her. "Look, let's rehearse the scene at the inn. Marisa, this—"

"I can't go on; there's too much dust!" said Marisa. She glared at Anton and played with her hair. "It's taking the curl out of my naturally, curly hair!"

"Don't think of it as dust," said Tsubaki. "Think of it as maybe the soil of some great past civilization. Maybe the soil of ancient Babylon. It scatters the imagination. Maybe carrying soil that was trod upon by Solomon…maybe even Nebuchadnezzar."

"Sort of makes ya wanna treat me with more respect, doesn't it?" Anton asked in a snide tone.

"You're an absolute mess! Just look at yourself!" said Marisa. She thrust the mirror she was fanning herself with at Anton, then plugged her nose. "And you reek! Take a bath!"

Anton looked at himself in the mirror and smiled. "On the contrary, I didn't think I looked that good. And I can't help it if you can't handle my manly odors, you sissy!"

* * *

><p>"Lizzie, come here," Tsubaki said.<p>

"What do you want her for?" asked Ciel.

"She's gonna be your wife," Tsubaki explained.

Ciel flinched when he saw his cousin—and fiancee—Elizabeth smiling and clapping with glee. "Good grief."

Elizabeth went up to Ciel and leaned her head against him affectionately. "Isn't he the cutest thing?" Then she laughed when Ciel put his blanket/costume over his whole body. "He has the nicest sense of humor." She and Ciel walked away.

* * *

><p>"Lunch break. Lunch break," said Renji.<p>

"Lunch break?" Tsubaki asked.

Renji directed Tsubaki's attention to Izaya Orihara—Gilbert's other best friend, playing the angel Gabriel alongside Vivi, as Mary—who had a bunch of apples and juggled them, until they fell on his head, one by one. Then Black*Star walked away.

"Alright, there's no time for foolishness," said Tsubaki. "Maestra Abbiati said we've gotta get on with our play."

"That's right," said Renji. "What about my part? What about the Christmas King, hm? Are you gonna let all these good looks go to waste?" Tsubaki didn't answer, so Renji got in her face. 'You do think I'm good-looking, don't you, Tsubaki Nakatsukasa?" No answer. Renji got mad. "You didn't answer me right away. You had to think about it first, didn't you? If you really thought I was hot, you would've spoken right up! I know when I've been insulted! I know when I've been insulted!"

"Good grief," Tsubaki said to herself.

During the next two weeks, the rehearsals were going well, though some of the kids ad-libbed their lines. But that was fixed by the time the actual production came around.

* * *

><p><em>December 15, 1950<em>

On the night of December 15, the kids were able to put on their production of their version of the Nativity.

The audience laughed when Gilbert called himself awesome when he, Savio and Black*Star had their parts as the three shepherds who followed the star to the manger.

Once the play was over, the kids changed back into their regular clothes and went to their families, who congratulated them on a great play.

* * *

><p>"Let's go out for pizza!" a fifteen-year-old Klara suggested excitedly. "To celebrate Gilbo's play."<p>

"Yeah!" a seventeen-year-old Ludwig, and ten-year-olds Gilbert and Izaya agreed.

"What are you doing here, Izaya?" Ludwig asked.

"Oh, I just wanna go out for pizza with you guys," said Izaya.

"Mom, Dad, can Iza come have pizza with us?" asked Gilbert.

"Well…" Elise said.

"Okay," said Claus.

"Yay!" Gilbert and Izaya said and brofisted.

"Hey, Nina, want to come have pizza with us?" Ludwig asked his girlfriend.

"Sure!" said Nina. "My dad's not here, so he can't scare anybody."

"Thank God," Ludwig said under his breath.

* * *

><p>"Vivi, you did great," Holland said, ruffling his daughter's hair.<p>

"You did," said Talho. "Much better than Gilbert. Remember: You're also a better actor than he is."

"I thought he was pretty good," said Vivi.

"He wasn't supposed to do that laugh of his in the play," said Holland. He saw the Beilschmidt family walking away with Gilbert and Izaya. "I'll be right back." He ran over to the Beilschmidts, mainly Gilbert, who was falling behind with Izaya.

Unfortunately, Ludwig stopped and rushed up to Gilbert and Izaya, ushering the two children to the family car. He turned and glared at Holland, who instantly shrunk back due to the teenager's demeanor now…also, because of Ludwig looking scary with his hair slicked back. "What are you doing here, Gekkostate trash?"

"Uh…n-n-nothing…just…wantthekid…" Holland said.

"I'm sorry," Ludwig hissed. He grabbed Holland by his jacket and got in the man's face. "Did I hear you right? Did you just say you wanted my little brother?"

"Y-Y-Yeah…" Holland stammered.

"Well, you can't have him," said Ludwig. He threw Holland down on the floor. _"Auf Wiedersehen!"_ He flipped Holland off and went back to his family and girlfriend.

* * *

><p>Holland quickly got up off the floor and ran back to Talho and Vivi. "I couldn't get the damn brat."<p>

"Let's just enjoy tonight, okay?" Talho asked. "Come on, let's take Vivi out to a nice dinner."

* * *

><p>The Yuki-Novaks left the school and took Vivi to a nice restaurant. Good thing the Beilschmidts weren't there! Holland decided he didn't need to anger scary Ludwig any further tonight.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Yeah…Gilbo and his friends are all ten (or almost ten) and eleven years old now.

Gilbert: 10  
>Vivi: 9 ½ (almost 10; she's three months and two weeks younger than Gilbert)<br>Ciel: 10 ½; 11 as of December 14  
>Black*Star: 10<br>Maka: 10  
>Soul: 10<br>Kid: 11  
>Liz: 11<br>Patty: 11  
>Anton: 11<br>Savio: 10  
>Primo: 10<br>Vito: 10  
>Zaira: 10<br>Izaya: 10  
>Marisa: 11<br>Tommaso: 11  
>Elizabeth: 10<br>Renji: 10  
>Tsubaki: 10<br>Ludwig: 17  
>Nina Tucker: 17<br>Klara: 15

**P.S.:** _Kami no ai no tame ni_- For the love of God (Japanese)  
><em>Auf Wiedersehen!<em>- Goodbye! (German)

Oh, also, Marisa, Tommaso, Zaira, Primo and Vito are just kids I made up for this chapter.


	21. Dinner At A Nice Restaurant

**Chapter 21: Dinner At A Nice Restaurant**

_April 25, 1951_

The Beilschmidt, Vargas, Bonnefoy, Fernandez Carriedo, and Honda families were out at a nice restaurant called Mamma Mia's. In attendance were: Claus, Elise, Ludwig (now eighteen), Klara (fifteen-going-on-sixteen in August), and Gilbert (ten-going-on-eleven in October); Giuseppe, Gabriella, Lovino (now twenty-one, and visiting from university in Rome), Feliciano (now eighteen), and Savio (ten-going-on-eleven in September); Pierre, Amanda, Francis (twenty-three-going-on-twenty-four in July, also visiting from university in America), and Isabelle (fifteen-going-on-sixteen in June); Eduardo, Maria, and Antonio (now twenty-three, and visiting from the same university as Francis); Daisuke, Mulan, Yao (twenty-one-going-on-twenty-two, visiting from the same college as Francis and Tony), Chi (twenty-going-on-twenty-one in November, visiting from the same college as her brother), Kiku (now eighteen), Kaoru and Mei (both fifteen-going-on-sixteen in July), and Yong Soo (twelve-going-on-thirteen in August). That was a lot of people, so all of them had to eat at one of the longest tables in the restaurant.

The families were going out to dinner to celebrate Francis' upcoming graduation in June, St. Mark's Day, and the sixth anniversary of Italy being liberated from the Nazi-Fascists in 1945.

* * *

><p>"Congratulations, Francis," Amanda said ecstatically.<p>

"We're very proud of you, son," said Pierre.

"_Merci_, Mom, Dad," said Francis. He tried to grope Ludwig and Feliciano, but Ludwig scared him with his signature death glare.

"Francis Edmond Bonnefoy, no groping at the table," Amanda scolded. "especially don't grope your cousin or his friend."

"_Je suis d__é__sol__é__, Maman," _Francis said sheepishly.

"Welcome to Mamma Mia's," Miria Harvent said cheerfully. "I'm Miria, and I'll be your server today. What would you like?"

"Uh, we don't know yet," Claus replied. "We'll need a few minutes to decide."

"Okay," said Miria. She left, leaving the five families to try and decide what they wanted.

"So, what does everyone want?" asked Claus.

The Bonnefoys—with the exception of Amanda—decided on some French dishes. The Fernandez Carriedos—except Maria, who wanted Italian food like her brother and sister— decided on Spanish dishes. The Vargas', Amanda and Maria all decided on pasta, pizza and various other Italian foods, while the Hondas wanted Japanese and Chinese cuisine. That left the Beilschmidts having a hard time deciding what they wanted.

* * *

><p>"I want wurst," Ludwig finally decided.<p>

"_Questo è tutto ciò__che si mangia__, fratello__," _Klara mumbled under her breath.

"_Che cosa__è stato?__" _Ludwig asked, catching his little sister mumbling something.

"_Oh__, niente, niente, __caro fratello__," _Klara lied. She really hoped Ludwig wouldn't know that she made fun of his diet.

Ludwig just shrugged it off and ordered a soda to drink. Klara sighed in relief and ordered something to drink as well.

Claus and Elise each ordered schnitzel, while Gilbert had a difficult time deciding.

"What's going on, dear?" Elise asked her youngest child. "See anything you like?"

"I dunno," Gilbert said and shrugged. "What's venison?" He pointed to the word "Venison" on the menu.

"Deer," Elise replied.

"What?" asked Gilbert.

"Deer," said Elise.

"What?" Gilbert asked again.

"Deer. D-E-E-R," said Elise.

"What? W-H-A-T?" Gilbert asked.

"What's wrong with him?" Eduard whispered to Claus.

"Gilbo, it's…it's like the deer in the forest. Like…like Bambi," Claus explained to his son.

"Oh, cool! Let's eat Bambi," said Gilbert.

"Coming soon to Italian and German cinemas," Giuseppe muttered to Claus.

So Gilbert ordered the venison.

* * *

><p>After the dinner was over, everyone went home. The Beilschmidt family got ready for bed. Unfortunately, for Ludwig and Klara, they both still shared a room with Gilbert, whose dinner wasn't agreeing with him, so they had to endure some pretty unpleasant smells.<p>

_Faaaaaarrrrrrt._

_Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrtttttttttttttt._

"Ah," Gilbert said both times he farted.

"Ugh!" said Klara.

"Gross!" Ludwig yelled. He and Klara covered their noses with their pajamas.

"Lui, do something, now," said Klara. "I'm about to throw up from the smell!"

"Okay," said Ludwig. He marched over to Gilbert's bed.

"Gilbo, what's going on?" Ludwig asked wearily. He thought he would pass out due to not being able to breathe.

"I don't think I should've had that venison," said Gilbert. "Wait…" _Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrtttt tttttttttttttttttttttttttttt ttttttttttttttttt! _"Ah, that's better. But…I was saving it for Anton Krum's stupid face."

"Okay," Ludwig said with a sigh. _"__Buona notte__, __fratellino__." _He then took Gilbert's bed sheet and put it over his little brother, making Gilbert stay under the covers with his stinky farts!

"Let me out, Lui! West, come on!" Gilbert yelled. "I can't breathe."

Ludwig let Gilbert out from underneath the cover. "Okay, you're out. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, bro," Gilbert replied. He farted again, much to Ludwig and Klara's dismay. "Aaaaahhhhhh." The boy went to sleep with a big smile on his face.

'_Just one more year of school after this one, and I'll be able to go off to university…and I won't have to deal with Gilbert and his stinky farts for awhile,' _Ludwig thought to try and assure himself.

* * *

><p>Gonzy and Mischa climbed into the Beilschmidt siblings' bedroom window, intent on snatching Gilbert. They both covered their mouths and noses when they smelled Gilbert's farts; the child was farting in his sleep now.<p>

"Ugh! What is that God-awful smell?" Mischa asked.

"It's the kid!" Gonzy whispered, coughing for breath. "Come on, let's just get out of here!" He ran towards the window.

"But, what about Holland? He'll be pissed," Mischa said as she followed Gonzy to the window. "Oh, God, I think I'm gonna be sick!"

"Fuck Holland and his pimp clothes!" said Gonzy. "We'll die if we have to carry that kid all the way back to HQ. Let's go!" He and Mischa jumped out the window, not at all caring that Holland wouldn't be pleased.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>_Merci- _Thank you (French)

_Je suis d__é__sol__é__, Maman- _I'm sorry, Mom (French)

_Questo è tutto ciò__che si mangia__, fratello__- _That's all you eat, brother (Italian)

_Che cosa__è stato?__- _What was that? (Italian)

_Oh__, niente, niente, __caro fratello__- _Oh…nothing, nothing, brother dear (Italian)

_Buona notte__, __fratellino__- _Goodnight, little brother (Italian)

P.S.: The reason I had Ludwig and Klara speaking Italian in this chapter is because they had been living in Italy for almost eleven years now, so it's only natural that they'd pick up the language over time, especially since they were seven and five years old when they left Germany with their family.


	22. The Axis Graduate High School

**Chapter 22: The Axis Graduate High School**

_June 12, 1952_

"I can't believe it," Elise said quietly, looking proud at her eldest child, now nineteen years old. "This day's already here…oh, honey, your hair." She reached out and tried to fix Ludwig's hair.

"Mom, cut it out," an embarrassed Ludwig said. "My hair's fine. I like it slicked back."

Elise pouted. "But Lui, you don't look nineteen at all with that style."

"Moooom, it's _my_ hair," Ludwig whined.

"Wow, bro, you look good," Klara said as she and Gilbert took in their big brother.

"Uh, big brother, we have a surprise guest for ya," Gilbert said the second he saw Ludwig's slicked-back hair.

Klara looked at Gilbert, then at Ludwig's hair. She jumped back, then spoke up. "Yeah." She then took Elise aside and whispered. "I brought some people over. they'll help Lui with his hair problem."

"Good," Elise whispered. "I'll get Gilbo ready for the ceremony while you and these guys talk to Lui, okay?" She turned to Gilbert and put an arm around her youngest child's shoulder. "Come on, Gilbo, let's get you cleaned up."

"Okay, Mom," said Gilbert. He exited the room with his mother.

Klara turned around, sporting a mischievous grin.

"Uh…Klara…what are you…?" Ludwig asked nervously.

"Get ready for a TOTAL makeover!" said Klara. "Mwahahahahahaha! Alright, guys! Now!"

"What the—?" Ludwig exclaimed as Feliks, Toris, Feliciano and Kiku literally jumped through the open window, ninja-style.

"Ciao, Lui!" said Feliciano.

"Feli, Kiku, Feliks, Toris…what are you all doing here?" Ludwig asked. He backed against the wall when his sister and friends advanced toward him.

"Like, we're here to fix your hair," said Feliks. He flipped his own hair.

"My hair doesn't need to be fixed," Ludwig said. He protectively covered his head with his grandfather's German Army helmet from the First World War, which was lying on the floor after Gilbert was done playing soldier with Savio, Izaya and Black*Star.

"Take the helmet off," said Toris.

Ludwig took the helmet off, but then covered his hair with a newspaper randomly lying around.

"And the paper," Toris said.

Then he took his shoe off and put _that _on his head.

"And your shoe," said Toris.

Ludwig sighed and took the shoe off of his head, revealing his blond hair once again,

"Now!" Kiku said. He, Feliciano, Klara, Feliks and Toris all lunged at a screaming Ludwig, carrying him to the couch.

"No, please!" Ludwig screamed as Feliks got out a comb. "Not my precious hair! My perfect German hair!"

"So every German, to you, has slicked back hair that makes them look scary as hell?" asked Klara. She rolled her eyes.

"Please, spare my hair's life! Spare its dignity! Nina's gonna be at graduation!"

"That's one reason I'm having Feliks fix your hair, so you don't accidentally curse at her in German, dummkopf," said Klara.

"Please, my hair's innocent! It didn't do anything wrong!" said Ludwig.

"_Dobra, teraz jesteś, jak, jest całkowicie niedorzeczne," _Feliks said out of pure annoyance.

"What did he say?" Ludwig asked frantically as Feliks used the comb on his hair. He turned to his sister. "Klara what the hell did he say? _Schwester!_ Answer me!"

Feliciano translated. "Feliks said, 'okay, now you're, like, being _totally _ridiculous'."

"I'm not being ridiculous! Nein, nein, nein, nein, nein! Nein…" Ludwig yelled.

* * *

><p>Elise was giving Gilbert a bath, when she heard Ludwig screaming and pleading for his hair to remain as it was.<p>

"What's Lui screaming about, Mom?" Gilbert asked as Elise poured water on his head, rinsing the shampoo out of his hair.

"I don't know, son," Elise replied with a shake of her head. She knew exactly what Ludwig was screaming at: His hair being fixed.

* * *

><p>"There," Feliks said. He stood back, proud of what he had done with Ludwig's hair. "Like, you look totally awesome! Even Gilbo will think so."<p>

"Really?" Ludwig asked after he was done sulking about his bangs not being slicked back.

"Like, _yeah_," Feliks replied, emphasizing the word 'yeah.'

"Aw, your uniform's wrinkled," Klara said. She smoothed Ludwig's uniform out, and a now clean Gilbert came out. The boy's bangs still hung in front of his forehead.

"Wow, big brother! You look awesome now!" said Gilbert. He ran up to Ludwig and latched onto his arm.

"Thanks," said Ludwig. "Gilbo, please get off my arm." Gilbert let go.

"Lui, you look handsome with your bangs like that," said Elise.

Claus came in, right on time. He smiled when he saw Ludwig dressed and ready to go to graduation. "You look great, Lui."

"Thanks, Dad," Ludwig said.

"Like, come on, guys," said Ignacy, Feliks' dad. He showed up just in time to pick up Feliks. "It's, like, almost time for the ceremony.

"Coming, Dad," said Feliks. He and Toris went to their families, and the Beilschmidt, Vargas and Honda families all headed towards the high school.

* * *

><p>At the school, Ludwig, Kiku and Feliciano all gave each of their parents a quick hug and went to their seats, which—as luck would have it—were all right next to each other; they would also be going to the same university in America in the fall.<p>

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, the Beilschmidts, Vargas' and Hondas were all trying to find good seats so they could see their sons during the ceremony.<p>

* * *

><p>"Cool!" said Feliciano. "We all get to sit together!"<p>

"Yeah," said Kiku. "At least we don't have to sit next to Viktor Krum." He pointed to one of the front rows, where Viktor Krum was sitting with his buddies.

"Hey, Lui," a female voice said cheerfully.

Ludwig looked over to his right, where he saw Nina Tucker sitting.

"Wow, you look good," Nina said about Ludwig's hair. "I love your hair like this."

Ludwig blushed. "Really? Thanks, Nina."

"This is a joyous day," the headmaster at the podium said as the crowds of students and their families fell silent. "A wonderful day, as we observe this class of bright, energetic boys and girls leave us and go on to higher things…"

* * *

><p>"Wow," Izaya whispered to Gilbert. "Your bro looks cool now, Gilbo."<p>

"I know, right?" Gilbert whispered.

"What's Izaya doing here?" Klara asked her baby brother.

"Wherever Gilbo is, I'm there," Izaya whispered.

* * *

><p>After the headmaster finished his beginning speech, the students were called up, one by one, to receive their diplomas and any awards.<p>

* * *

><p>"I can't believe we're actually graduating!" Nina said excitedly.<p>

"I know," Ludwig replied.

"Ludwig Beilschmidt," a teacher announced. No answer. "Ludwig Beilschmidt? Ludwig Beilschmidt, come up and get your diploma and honors award."

Ludwig snapped out of his daydream about him and Nina together.

Viktor Krum stood up.

"It isn't you!" a Belgian girl, Angelique Beaumont, yelled and pulled Viktor back to his seat. "Is your name Ludwig Beilschmidt? Huh?"

"Nope," said Viktor.

"Then it isn't you," said Angelique.

Ludwig stood up and went to the stage. He got his honors award and his diploma.

"Yay, West!" Gilbert cheered.

Next was…

"Feliciano Vargas," the teacher announced.

Feliciano jumped out of his seat, and Viktor got up again.

"It isn't you!" said Angelique. She, once again, had to pull Viktor back to his seat as Feliciano got up and got his diploma.

"Fratello, you're awesome!" Savio cheered for his big brother.

Kiku was up soon after.

* * *

><p>After the ceremony, everyone was celebrating. Ludwig and Nina were hugging and kissing each other…until Shou Tucker came along.<p>

"Come along, Nina," said Shou.

"Oh, okay," said a resigned Nina. "See you later, Lui." She waved to Ludwig and walked away with her father.

Ludwig said goodbye to Nina and shuddered when Shou Tucker gave him a death glare. He heard Gilbert yelling at someone in the crowd of celebrating people. That's when he ran to check it out.

* * *

><p>"Let go!" Gilbert was saying to a masked Ken-Goh, who was holding on tight to the boy's wrist. "You're hurting me!"<p>

"Shut up," said Ken-Goh. He was trying to drag Gilbert with him, but had trouble because the child was fighting to get out of his grip.

"West!" Gilbert shouted before Ken-Goh covered his mouth.

* * *

><p>Ludwig saw Izaya running up to Ken-Goh.<p>

* * *

><p>"Let my friend go, you dick!" Izaya shouted. He kicked Ken-Goh in the groin, but the man got angry and, despite being in pain, kicked Izaya in the gut, sending him flying into Toris.<p>

* * *

><p>"What the hell's going on?" Toris asked.<p>

"Dunno," said Feliks.

* * *

><p>"Hey!" Ludwig shouted at Ken-Goh. Gilbert sighed in relief. Ken-Goh froze in his tracks, then turned around and became scared of Ludwig, even though Lui's bangs were covering his forehead.<p>

"Put my brother down," Ludwig growled at Ken-Goh.

Ken-Goh shook and threw Gilbert to the floor. "Here! Take him, but please don't hurt me!" He ran away screaming his head off.

"Are you alright?" Ludwig asked his baby brother.

"Yeah," said Gilbert. "Thanks."

"Do you know who tried to take you?" Ludwig asked as he held Gilbert.

"No," said Gilbert. "He was wearing a mask, remember?"


	23. Gilbert the Procrastinator

**Chapter 23: Gilbert the Procrastinator**

_November 9, 1953_

Ludwig, Feliciano and Kiku were all visiting their families on a break from university. They had flown all the way from New York to Venice two days before, and felt like being lazy; Kiku had even put off working on a graphic novel he had begun.

* * *

><p>"Ah," Ludwig sighed contentedly after taking a swig of beer.<p>

"This is the life," said Kiku. "Us three, lying around, being lazy."

"Si," Feliciano said sleepily. He was using Ludwig as a pillow.

* * *

><p>The Axis were relaxing when…<p>

"I'm home," Gilbert said. He smiled when he saw that his big brother hadn't left yet.

"Oh, hey, Gilbo," Ludwig said, waving Gilbert off.

"You're not doing anything at all?" Klara asked. She set down her school bag by the door. Klara had taken to walking Gilbert home now, after she, Claus and Elise were told by Ludwig about the kidnapping attempt made on Gilbert after Ludwig's high school graduation.

"Oh, it's you, Klara," said Ludwig.

"What'cha doing?" Gilbert asked Ludwig and his buddies.

"We're working," the Axis replied. Ludwig took another swig of beer.

"You're not gonna get much done just by listening to the radio and lounging around in your underwear," Klara commented.

"Hey, we're wearing shirts and socks!" said Ludwig.

"What are you, my mother?" Kiku asked.

"Your mom says that, too?" asked Gilbert.

"Gilbert," Klara whispered in a stern tone.

"Listen, when you're working on a graphic novel, you have to wait for inspiration," Kiku said. Gilbert shoved Ludwig aside and sat on the couch in between Feliciano and Kiku, while Kiku took a sip of sake. Kiku thought for a minute. "Nope, not yet."

Klara sighed. "You three have gotten lazy ever since you went away for college, you know that?"

"Oh, _halt die klappe_, sis," Ludwig said.

Klara stuck her tongue out at Ludwig.

* * *

><p>Later, Claus and Elise came into the door.<p>

"Hey, why don't we all go out for a family movie night?" Claus asked. "Lui, what do you say? You can bring Feli and Kiku."

"They can't," said Gilbert. "They're working." He pointed to Ludwig, Kiku and Feliciano.

"On what? Liver failure?" Klara asked sarcastically.

"Klara," Elise said firmly.

"Sorry, Mom," said Klara. "Hey, can I bring Benny?" She was talking about her boyfriend, Beniamino Gentile, who was in her Year 5 class at San Marco Scuola Secondaria di Secondo Grado.

"I don't know," Claus said, being the protective father of a teenage daughter he was.

"We'll see," said Elise.

Oh, by the way, Gilbo," Claus said. "I take it you finished reading _A Tale of Two Cities_ for your book report?"

"Yup," said Gilbert.

"Oh, good," said Claus. "How did you like it?"

"I thought it was…one of the most famous books in the history of fictional literature," Gilbert replied.

"I see," said Claus. "So, tell me: What's it about?"

"You mean the book?" Gilbert asked.

"Yes," Elise said. "Your father means the book."

"Well…" Gilbert began. "It's called _A Tale of Two Cities_. And it's about this French guy and this British guy…who…um…write a book about two cities they've been to."

"And you thought he didn't read it," Ludwig said and laughed.

"Ludwig Peter Beilschmidt," Elise scolded her eldest son.

"Aw, I was just joking," said Gilbert. "It's more like…uh…_Pride and Prejudice_…but from the French people's point of view."

Claus and Elise sighed.

"Gilbo, you've had more than a week," said Claus. "Why didn't you read the book?"

"Um…I've been waiting for inspiration," Gilbert replied, looking at Kiku.

"At a boy," Kiku said.

"Kiku," Claus said. "He's my son, don't encourage him."

"Okay," said Elise. "How's this for inspiration? We're not going to the movies. And you're not doing anything else until you've finished that book." She turned the radio off.

"That's not fair!" said Gilbert.

"Yes it is," said Elise. "You, your father and I made a deal, and you didn't keep your end of it."

"Oh, so now two wrongs make a right?" Gilbert asked.

"Bet you didn't see that one coming," said Ludwig.

"Go to your room, Ludwig," said Claus. Ludwig got up off the couch and went to his room.

"Look, Gilbo, you're gonna like this book if you just give it a chance," Claus said. "It's about these two guys, Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton, who both get involved in a love triangle while living in the French Revolution…"

"How'd they get involved in the love triangle?" asked Gilbert.

"Well, Darnay is married to a girl named Lucie Manette, and Carton likes Lucie as well," said Claus.

"Really. Then what happens?" Gilbert asked, trying to coax more information out of his father.

"Well, with all the injustice that goes on in the book, Carton keeps trying to win Lucie…just read the book," Claus said once he realized that Gilbert was trying to get away with having the plot of the book handed to him. He thrust the novel at Gilbert. He and Elise walked out of the room, while Gilbert sighed and leafed through the book.

"Two guys who write a book about two cities they've been to, huh?" Kiku asked.

"Hey, I gave it a shot," said Gilbert.

* * *

><p>Claus and Elise were sitting outside.<p>

"What are we gonna do with those boys?" Elise asked. "It seems that the only kid in this family who has their head on straight is Klara."

"Don't worry," said Claus. "Gilbert's just being…well, Gilbert. And Lui…well, he only arrived two days ago; I bet he just wants to relax."

Elise sighed. "Lui and his friends have been like this since Feliks and the Lorinaitis siblings were abducted five months ago. I think that that's why they're the way they are now."

"Daisuke says he and the police have been searching since then," said Claus. "Who knows where those kids were taken?"

"I feel so bad for Ignacy and Aurelia, and Mykolas and Rasa," Elise said.

"Ciao, you two!" Giuseppe said cheerfully. He and Gabriella were at the house, and had startled Claus and Elise.

"Jose? Gabby? What are you two doing here?" asked Claus.

"Just wanna know what you're up to," said Gabriella.

"Nothing," said Elise. "We were supposed to have a family movie night at the cinema, but that's out, because Lui's helping Kiku work on a graphic novel, and Gilbo didn't do his book report."

"Maybe all four of us could have a movie night," said Giuseppe. "We could go to the cinema, just us four."

"Okay," said Claus.

"We'll catch an early show," said Gabriella. "Jose and I'll bring Savino over to watch over Gilbo, okay?"

"Thanks," said Elise. "Maybe Savino can get Gilbo to read his book and do the report."

* * *

><p>"Hey," Gilbert said as he and Savio came out of the kitchen with two Coca Cola's. "What'cha doin'?"<p>

"Working," said Ludwig. He and Kiku were looking at porn magazines, while Feliciano was taking a siesta.

"How do you know when you're on a break?" asked Savio.

"That's the thing about being a grownup, Savio," Kiku said. "You don't get breaks."

Gilbert picked something up. "Is this your graphic novel?"

"Yeah," said Kiku. "Just a rough draft, actually."

"It kinda sucks," said Savio. "The art's not very good."

"Hey, I'm trying here," said Kiku.

"Still," said Savio. "I don't think anyone in America is gonna wanna buy a graphic novel that has a Japanese art style just yet."

"Yeah," said Gilbert.

"Thanks for the input," said Kiku.

"Now," Ludwig said, pushing Gilbert and Savio towards Gilbert's room. "Why don't you go read _A Tale of Two Cities_, Gilbo? And Savino, make sure he actually reads it."

"Right," said the two boys.

* * *

><p>Later, Savio went back home with his parents, while Gilbert fell asleep after, maybe, reading at least some of <em>A Tale of Two Cities<em>. Ludwig came rushing into the room.

"Gilbo! Gilbo, wake up!" Ludwig said urgently.

"What?" Gilbert asked.

"Kiku wants to show you something!" said Feliciano. "I think he may have gotten it."

"I'm still sleeping," Gilbert whined as Ludwig and Feliciano ushered him out of the room he still shared with Klara.

"Sleep in school like everybody else," said Ludwig.

Klara woke up. "What are you doing, Lui? Put Gilbo back in bed, now."

"In a minute," said Ludwig. "Gilbo, come on!"

"Okay," said Gilbert. He got out of bed and followed Ludwig and Feliciano to the living room, where Kiku was sitting with some more rough sketches of the graphic novel.

Klara sighed and followed Ludwig, Feliciano and Gilbert out to the living room.

* * *

><p>"Here," said an excited Kiku. "I think I may have really improved my art."<p>

Gilbert took a look at the graphic novel. After a few minutes, he put it down and shook his head. "It still blows." He went back to his and Klara's room.

"Oh, yeah? Well…you're still short," Kiku retaliated.

Klara took a look at the art. "I think it's very good, Kiku, but I don't know if the Americans are ready to accept this form of art just yet."

"I know, I know," said a tired Kiku.

"You three should be in bed right now," Klara said.

* * *

><p><em>November 10, 1953<em>

"Uncle Jose, you know what's a good book?" Gilbert asked while Giuseppe was over at the Beilschmidts' house, making breakfast for Savio, Gilbert and Klara, because Elise was sick with a bad cold that day. Gilbert held up his book. _"A Tale of Two Cities." _Ever since he could talk, Gilbert had referred to Giuseppe and Gabriella as "Uncle Jose" and "Aunt Gabby", because they lived next door, and were like family to the Beilschmidt siblings. The same went for Daisuke and Mulan, whom Gilbert had affectionately dubbed "Uncle Daisuke" and "Auntie Mulan".

"Oh, yeah," said Giuseppe. He came over and put some sausage and eggs on Savio, Gilbert and Klara's plates.

"Gilbo, what are you doing?" Savio asked.

"Just taking notes," said Gilbert.

"I read that when I was about your age," said Giuseppe.

"So, what did you think?" asked Gilbert.

"I liked it," said Giuseppe. "It was like Pride and Prejudice, with French people instead of British."

"Yeah," said Gilbert. "I agree." He jotted down what Giuseppe had said. "Uh, is 'Prejudice' spelled like it sounds?"

Klara face palmed. "Gilbo…"

"Just read the damn book," said Giuseppe.

"_Thank _you, Uncle Jose," said Klara.

"Hey, Uncle Jose, I could've made breakfast while you washed the dishes," Ludwig said as he, Feliciano and Kiku helped with washing and putting away the dishes.

"Oh, it's no problem," said Giuseppe. "I'm always making breakfast for Savino." He ruffled his youngest child's hair as Savio made sure Gilbert did his report.

Claus came into the kitchen. "Thanks again, Jose."

"No problem," said Giuseppe. "Remember, call me or Gabby if you need anything. Daisuke and Mulan, too."

"Okay," Claus said. "See you at work." He waved goodbye to his friend, and saw Gilbert with his notebook open. "Hey, are you starting that book report already?"

"Just making notes," said Gilbert.

"Oh," said Claus. "What do you have so far?"

"Well, I think _A Tale of Two Cities _is like _Pride and Prejudice_, but with French people," said Gilbert.

"Oh, God," Savio muttered.

"That's kind of an interesting analogy," said Claus. "So, what's your favorite part?"

That stopped Gilbert in his tracks.

"Answer Dad's question, Gilbo," said Klara.

"Uh…the…the one where…um…the one guy and the girl get married?" Gilbert said.

Claus just shook his head and headed out the kitchen. He got ready asked the Axis to watch over Elise, and for Klara to walk Gilbert to school and back home, as usual. Then he left for work.

* * *

><p>After school, Savio, Izaya, Ciel, Elizabeth, Renji, Vivi and Gilbert all tried helping Kiku with improving his art to suit what they thought Americans would like, until he finally "improved" his art. In exchange for helping Kiku with his artwork, Kiku would help Gilbert work on <em>A Tale of Two Cities<em>.

The Axis took Gilbert to a bookstore a few blocks down from the market.

* * *

><p>"Here," said Ludwig. "These are called CliffNotes, little bro." he handed Gilbert a book that had <em>A Tale of Two Cities <em>written on it. "This has everything you need to know about _A Tale of Two Cities_. The characters, themes…everything."

"It's just a book report waiting for you to put your name on it," said Feliciano.

"Is this legal?" Gilbert asked.

"Hey, I'm doing the same thing," Izaya said. He picked up a CliffNotes book on _Sleepy Hollow_.

"Iza! What's up?" asked Gilbert.

"Nothing much," said Izaya. "Staying out of Shizuo's way."

" Good idea," said Gilbert.

"See, Gilbo? Izaya's doing the same thing," said Kiku.

"Yeah, besides, you don't see any homework police around, do you?" Ludwig asked.

"No," said Gilbert.

* * *

><p><em>December 19, 1953<em>

The Beilschmidt, Vargas and Honda families were all hanging out at the Beilschmidt's house. It had been a month since Gilbert had finished his book report, and since Ludwig, Kiku and Feliciano's last visit home. Feliks, Toris, Eduard and Raivis were still missing, new leads turning up nothing.

* * *

><p>"Oh, by the way," Kiku said. "How did you do on that book report, Gilbo?"<p>

"I got a D minus," said Gilbert.

"What?" asked a surprised Feliciano.

"Didn't you read the CliffNotes?" asked Kiku.

"It was fifty pages," said Gilbert.

"Unbelievable," said Kiku. "Lui, your brother's too lazy to cheat."

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe he's too _honest_ to cheat?" Klara asked. "Lui, get a room!" She looked at Ludwig and Nina, who were having a make-out session right in front of Gilbert.

"Fine," said Ludwig. "Come on, Nina." Ludwig and Nina both went into Ludwig's old room, the one he used to share with Klara and Gilbert.

"Nah, I'm just lazy," said Gilbert.

"Oh, guess what? My graphic novel was published in New York City!" said Kiku. He handed Gilbert, Savio and Izaya each a copy.

The boys looked at the graphic novel and were disappointed.

"Hey," said Izaya.

"That's not what we drew," said Gilbert.

"That's your original sucky art," Gilbert whined.

"What can I tell you? The publishers in New York liked this one better," said Kiku.

"I still think it's really good," said Klara.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>In case anyone's wondering, Kiku's artwork is drawn manga-style.

**Also:** Ludwig-20

Kiku-20

Feliciano-20

Klara-18

Gilbert-13

Savio-13

Izaya-13

Vivi-12 ½, almost 13

Ciel-13 ½; 14 as of December 14

Elizabeth-13

Renji-13

Nina-20

Benny-18

P.S.: Beniamino "Benny" Gentile is another person I made up. Also, "Beniamino" is the Italian version of the name "Benjamin".

P.P.S.: _halt die klappe- _shut up (German)


	24. Stalker Much?

**Chapter 24: Stalker Much?**

_June 16, 1954_

"Yeah!" Gilbert, Savio, Izaya, Renji and Black*Star shouted as they sped out the doors of San Gabriele Scuola Secondaria di Primo Grado. It was the friends' last day as middle school students; in September, they would be starting Year 1 of high school.

"Freedom!" Black*Star screamed.

"Come on, guys," said Gilbert. "Let's go swimming." When he and the others were about to head to the lake, he saw Ciel with his butler and guardian, Sebastian Michaelis. "Ciel, wanna come?"

"No way," said Ciel. "I don't swim in lakes like _you_ guys."

"Okay," said a disappointed Gilbert. He, Savio, Izaya, Renji and Black*Star—along with Soul—ran to the lake to go swimming.

What they didn't know was that Vivi was watching and following them, glaring at Gilbert.

* * *

><p>"I've protected you for too long, Gilbert," Vivi said to herself; she didn't even use the nickname she would call Gilbert anymore!<p>

"Hey, Viv!" Elizabeth called. Maka and Tsubaki were with her.

"Oh, yes?" said Vivi.

"Wanna go shopping?" Elizabeth asked. "I need to get a cute outfit for Ciel. We're having a party."

"Sure," Vivi said. _'I'll get him later.' _She decided to just go shopping with her friends and forget about her mission for about an hour or two…or more, since she was shopping with Elizabeth Middleford, who could spend literally a whole day shopping if one would let her.

"So, Vivi, you wanna come to the party, too?" Elizabeth asked, snapping Vivi out of her resenting thoughts about the boy she became friends with in Year 1 of primary school.

"Sure," said Vivi. "I've gotta ask my mom and dad, though."

* * *

><p>As if on cue, a pay phone rang. Vivi knew who was calling and ran to the phone, almost knocking it off its hook.<p>

"Hello?" Vivi asked.

"_Did you see him yet?" _Hap asked.

"Yeah," said Vivi. "He went to the lake with Savio, Izaya, Renji, Soul and Black*Star."

"_Why didn't you go with them? You know, tag along?" _asked Hap. _"Are you getting cold feet again?"_

"No, of course not," said Vivi. "I'm shopping with Lizzie, Maka and Tsubaki right now; Lizzie needs to buy an outfit for Ciel for a party. Oh, speaking of that, can you put my dad on?"

"_Hold on," _said Hap. _"Holland, phone for you. It's Vivi."_

"_Hey, Vivi," _Holland said.

"Dad, Lizzie invited me to a party tonight," said Vivi. "Can I go?"

"_Okay," _said Holland. _"You deserve a break. Just be back by twelve-thirty, okay?"_

"Okay," said Vivi. "Thanks. Bye." She hung up and smiled when she turned to her friends. "I can go."

"Great!" said Elizabeth. "Oh, but you need a cuter outfit that that. Come on, we need to get you an outfit pronto!" She grabbed Vivi's arm and dragged her friend inside a store.

While Vivi and her friends were shopping, Gilbert and his friends were having fun swimming and splashing each other in the lake.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Gilbo?" Black*Star asked.<p>

"What is it?" asked Gilbert.

"Why doesn't Vivi hang out with us anymore?" asked Black*Star. "She's been ignoring us, especially you."

"I dunno," said Gilbert. "She doesn't even call me 'Gilbo' anymore. She calls me by my actual name."

"Guys, I think there's someone watching us," Soul said.

"Who?" Savio asked defensively. He got in front of Gilbert, thinking that whoever might be watching must be after his friend.

"I dunno," said Soul. "But these stalking incidents have gone up, and I don't like it."

Gilbert and the others got back into their clothes and slowly went up to where Soul saw someone watching them. Mathieu, with his face hidden, came out of the shadows and confronted the six teenagers.

"Come with me, Gilbert, and I'll leave your friends and family alone," Mathieu said. It wasn't a request; it was a command.

"How do you know my name?" a scared Gilbert asked.

"Just come with me," said Mathieu.

"Like hell he will!" Soul shouted. He, Black*Star, Renji and Savio lunged at Mathieu and attacked him with full force, while Izaya was told to stay with Gilbert and keep him from going with Mathieu.

"I'll be back!" Mathieu yelled and ran away after the fight was over.

"That…takes care…of that," Soul said.

"Let's just go home," said Renji.

"Right," the other five boys agreed. They all picked their school bags up and hurried home.


	25. A Party, Vivi's Hangover!

**Chapter 25: A Party, Vivi's Hangover!**

_June 16, 1954_

Vivi, Maka, and Tsubaki arrived at Elizabeth's party.

"Yo! Vivi's in da house!" Vivi shouted.

"And Maka the Great!" Maka said just as loudly, making people stare.

"Guys, everyone's staring at us," Tsubaki said quietly.

"You're here!" Elizabeth squealed excitedly. "Ohhhh, and your clothes are SO CUTE! I just LOVE them! Come on, join in!" She pulled her three friends over to everyone else. Soon enough, the girls were all having fun.

* * *

><p>There was loud music, lots of food, and lots of yelling and running around. Good thing Elizabeth's parents weren't home—and good thing her brother, Edward, was in university in Rome—or else she and everyone else would've gotten in trouble!<p>

* * *

><p>Tsubaki and Death the Kid went up to the karaoke machine and started singing "Barbie Girl" by Aqua.<p>

Kid: Hiya, Barbie!

Tsubaki: Hi, Ken!

Kid: You wanna go for a ride?

Tsubaki: Sure, Ken!

Kid: Jump in!

Tsubaki: Ha ha ha ha

Tsubaki: _**I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world**_

_**Life in plastic, it's fantastic**_

_**You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere**_

_**Imagination, life is your creation**_

Kid: _**Come on Barbie, let's go party**_

Tsubaki: _**I'm a blonde single girl in the fantasy world**_

_**Dress me up, make your time, I'm your dolly**_

Kid: _**You're my doll, rock n roll, feel the glamour and pain**_

_**Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky panky**_

Tsubaki: _**You can touch, you can play**_

_**If you say I'm always yours, ooh ooh ooh**_

Tsubaki: _**I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world**_

_**Life in plastic, it's fantastic**_

_**You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere**_

_**Imagination, life is your creation**_

Kid: _**Come on, Barbie, let's go party**_

Tsubaki: _**Ah ah ah, yeah**_

Kid: _**Come on, Barbie, let's go party**_

Tsubaki: _**Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh**_

Kid: _**Come on, Barbie, let's go party**_

Tsubaki: _**Ah ah ah, yeah**_

Kid: _**Come on, Barbie, let's go party**_

Tsubaki: _**Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh**_

Tsubaki: _**Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please**_

_**I can act like a star, I can beg on my knees**_

Kid: _**Come jump in, be my friend, let us do it again**_

_**Hit the town, fool around, let's go party**_

Tsubaki: _**You can touch, you can play**_

_**If you say I'm always yours**_

_**You can touch, you can play**_

_**If you say I'm always yours**_

Kid: _**Come on, Barbie, let's go party**_

Tsubaki: _**Ah ah ah, yeah**_

Kid: _**Come on, Barbie, let's go party**_

Tsubaki: _**Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh**_

Kid: _**Come on, Barbie, let's go party**_

Tsubaki: _**Ah ah ah, yeah**_

Kid: _**Come on, Barbie, let's go party**_

Tsubaki: _**Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh**_

Tsubaki: _**I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world**_

_**Life in plastic, it's fantastic**_

_**You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere**_

_**Imagination, life is your creation**_

_**I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world**_

_**Life in plastic, it's fantastic**_

_**You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere**_

_**Imagination, life is your creation**_

Kid: _**Come on, Barbie, let's go party**_

Tsubaki: _**Ah ah ah, yeah**_

Kid: _**Come on, Barbie, let's go party**_

Tsubaki: _**Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh**_

Kid: _**Come on, Barbie, let's go party**_

Tsubaki: _**Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh**_

Tsubaki: Oh, I'm having so much fun

Kid: Well, Barbie, we're just getting started

Tsubaki: Oh, I love you, Ken!

"Yeah! Alright!" Patty cheered.

After a lot more karaoke sessions, everyone decided to play some games, Ciel unwillingly joining in.

* * *

><p>"Alright, everyone," said Elizabeth. "Truth or Dare? Marisa."<p>

"Truth," Marisa Parodi replied.

"Is it true that…you like-like Anton Krum?" Elizabeth asked teasingly.

"Oooooh," the crowd of teens said.

"Well?" Elizabeth asked, getting in Marisa's face.

"Um…" Marisa said. She was turning red. "Y-Yeah…it's true."

"I knew it!" Patty exclaimed triumphantly. "Liz, you owe me three lira."

"Here," Liz grumbled. She handed her sister three lira notes.

"Kid, Truth or Dare?" asked Elizabeth.

"Dare me," Kid said.

"I dare you to…let's see…" Elizabeth said. "I dare you to call the Russian leader and say he stinks."

"But…" said Kid.

"If you don't, you'll be a chicken for life," said Vito Primo. "And you'll be the biggest chicken in all of Italy."

"Fine!" Kid said. He ran to the Middleford's phone and, after looking up the number to the leader of Russia, called him up.

* * *

><p>Somebody picked up after five rings.<p>

"_Privet? This is Georgy Malenkov speaking," _the current leader of the Soviet Union said. _"Who shall I say is calling?"_

"Georgy Malenkov," said Kid. "I have a message for you."

"_What message? And who is this?" _asked Malenkov.

"Who this is is none of your concern," said Kid. "Here's your message: RUSSIA STINKS!"

"_Chto? Chto mozhete skazat' o Rodine?" _an angry Malenkov bellowed into the phone. _"Kto eto? Vy chertovski—!"_

* * *

><p>Kid hung up before Malenkov could finish his sentence. Panting, he ran back and sat down with his friends. "I did it. And I pissed him off."<p>

"I heard everything," said Elizabeth. "Good job."

* * *

><p>After a few more rounds of Truth or Dare, Elizabeth brought out a bunch of beer that her brother had stashed in his room and told everyone to take as many as they wanted.<p>

* * *

><p>"OH YEAH!" Vivi yelled as she downed her third bottle of beer. She was starting to slur her words, and couldn't stand up without falling down again.<p>

"Okay, we're all gonna play Seven Minutes in Heaven," said Elizabeth.

"How about…you and Ciel go in the closet first?" Maka suggested.

"Great idea!" Elizabeth exclaimed. She dragged a whining Ciel into the closet.

"Sebastian…get me out of here!" said Ciel.

"_No, Young Master," _Sebastian said calmly. _"It's just a game."_

* * *

><p>Seven minutes later, the door opened and revealed Elizabeth and Ciel kissing. Everyone began taking pictures.<p>

"WOO-HOO! Go, Lizzie!" Vivi yelled.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Ciel screamed as he ran out of the closet and behind Sebastian.

"Lady Vivi, you're drunk," said Sebastian.

"I'm not *hic* drunk, old man Sebbyyyyyy," said Vivi. She had a giddy look on her face.

"I'm not that old," Sebastian said to himself, a little offended.

* * *

><p>About an hour later, some state Alchemists, Daisuke and other police came storming into the Middleford home.<p>

"Alright, party's over," said Alex Louis Armstrong.

"Come on, kids, out," said Daisuke. He ushered the kids out one by one and into several patrol cars, ready to bring them back to their probably cross parents. "Come on, let's go. In the cars."

"Elizabeth!" Frances Middleford said to her daughter. She noticed that the house was a complete mess. "Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Middleford! You said you were going to have a quiet gathering!"

"But, Mom—" Elizabeth pleaded.

"Don't 'But Mom' me, young lady," said Frances. "You're grounded for two weeks. Now, clean this mess up."

"Fine," Elizabeth mumbled as she went to clean the mess up.

"I'm sorry about this, Mrs. Middleford," said Riza Hawkeye.

"Don't be," said Frances. "You're just doing your job. I have to have a very stern talk with my daughter now. Goodnight." She closed the door on the police and State Alchemists.

* * *

><p>Daisuke walked up to the Yuki-Novak's door and knocked. Talho answered.<p>

"Yes?" Talho asked. "Oh, Officer Honda. What's wrong? Is Vivi okay? Is she safe?"

"Don't worry, ma'am," said Daisuke. "Vivi's fine. Here she is." He went to the patrol car and carried a drunk Vivi and handed her to her mother. "She's just drunk. All the kids were at the party she was at. Did you know she was going to be at Elizabeth Middleford's house?"

A very shocked Talho took Vivi in her arms, listening to her ranting and raving about random things. "Yes, I knew. But I didn't know she'd be _drinking_ there! Holland!"

Holland came to the door. "What's going on?"

"Vivi's drunk," said Talho. "What kind of party did you let our thirteen-year-old daughter go to?"

"It was just a harmless party," said Holland. "That's what I thought, at least. Honest, Talho."

"Thank you for bringing our daughter back to us," said Talho. "Have a good night, Officer." She closed the door, and she and Holland put Vivi to bed.

* * *

><p>"I'm gonna be a pirate with Koza!" Vivi shouted. "You'll see! I'll be the best pirate everrrrrr!"<p>

* * *

><p><em>June 17, 1954<em>

The next morning, Vivi's head throbbed with such pain. She stayed huddled under the covers, occasionally poking her head out to puke in a bucket by her bed.

"I swear, I'll never drink again," said Vivi. "Somebody, turn out the lights! I blame you, Gilbert Beilschmidt! I'll get you, you center-of-attention asswipe!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Georgy Malenkov was the leader of the Soviet Union from March 5, 1953, to February 8, 1955. From Joseph Stalin's death in 1953 to 1955, he was locked in a struggle as leader against Nikita Kruschev, who was the leader of the Soviet Union after him.

P.S.: _Privet? _- Hello (Russian)

_Chto? Chto mozhete skazat' o Rodine?_- What? What did you say about the Motherland? (Russian)

_Kto eto? Vy chertovski—!_- Who is this? You fucking—! (Russian)


	26. Gilbert Gets Taken

**Chapter 26: Gilbert Gets Taken  
><strong>

_June 16, 1954 (one week earlier)_

Gilbert ran into the house, where his mother, brother and sister were. Ludwig was home for summer break, as were Kiku and Feliciano. Klara, having just graduated high school, was accepted into a great university in the United States, while her boyfriend, Benny, left to serve his required military service.

"Gilbo, what is it?" Elise asked.

"This guy stalked me and my friends," said Gilbert.

"Oh my God," Elise said worriedly.

"Tell me. What did the guy look like?" Ludwig asked in an urgent manner.

"I dunno," said Gilbert. "He was wearing a hat, and it mostly covered his eyes. Good thing Soul and the others drove him away."

"That's good," said Klara.

"This is bad," Elise said about Gilbert's stalker. "We have to tell your father."

"You're not gonna leave Venice, are you?" Ludwig asked.

"No, never," said Elise. "Uh, unless you and Klara can find some way for me, Gilbo and your father to get to America."

"You don't have to tell Dad," said Gilbert.

"Yes we do," Elise said. "Gilbo, you were almost abducted. I won't have that happen to you." Despite Gilbert's insistence that she didn't have to, she told Claus about what had happened with Gilbert when Claus came home from work._  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>June 23, 1954 (currently)<em>

Gilbert, Savio and Izaya were hanging out while their families were busy running errands or doing other things. Luckily for Izaya, he didn't have to deal with his younger twin sisters, because they were with their own friends.

* * *

><p>The three teens were talking and laughing about how stupid Anton Krum was, when…<p>

"I-ZA-YAAAAA!" Shizuo Heiwajima yelled.

"Uh-oh," said Gilbert.

"Guys…RUN!" Savio said. He and Gilbert both had to drag Izaya—who was ready to fight Shizuo—away with them just as Shizuo picked up a stop sign and threw it at the trio.

"Come back here, Izaya!" Shizuo shouted.

"Keep running!" Gilbert shouted.

* * *

><p>It took the three friends literally forty-five minutes to finally get Shizuo off their trail. They hid in an alley until they were sure Shizuo was gone.<p>

"Guys, I could've fought him," said Izaya.

"We didn't want you to get your bones broken," Gilbert replied to Izaya's words.

Izaya grumbled when he, Savio and Gilbert came out of the alley once Shizuo's footsteps were no longer heard.

"Gilbo, hey!" a familiar, female voice said behind the trio. They turned around and saw Vivi standing there, smiling.

"Vivi, hi," Gilbert said, returning the smile. He was glad that Vivi called him 'Gilbo' again, and was talking to him.

"Come on," said Vivi. She pulled Gilbert by his arm and dragged him to wherever she was going. "I wanna take you to this great place I found."

"Uh, okay," said Gilbert. "Can Savino and Iza come, too?"

"How about just us?" Vivi asked. "I haven't hung out with you in a while, and I just wanna have some time with just you."

"Okay," said Gilbert. "Guys, I'll be back later." He waved and ran off with Vivi.

Savio and Izaya were left alone, wondering about the sudden change in Vivi's attitude. They started to get suspicious.

"Come on, Iza," said Savio. "Something's up, and I don't like it."

"Coming," said Izaya. Before they knew it, they ran into Soul.

"What going on?" Soul asked. He and Maka were on their way to the Cinema Regale to see the latest _Mario and Friends_ movie.

"Gilbo ran off with Vivi," Savio said. "I know there's something going on, and I have a bad feeling."

"Let's go!" said Soul. "Come on, Maka."

"Wait…Soul!" Maka said, trying to keep up with Soul and the others.

"We're coming, too!" Black*Star and Tsubaki said as they followed the others.

* * *

><p>Gilbert and Vivi were walking along an empty street; they were almost at the Venice city limits, to be exact.<p>

"So, Vivi, what's up?" Gilbert finally asked.

"I just wanted to apologize," said Vivi.

"For what?" asked Gilbert.

"For ignoring you and being so mean," Vivi replied. "I'm really sorry about that; I was just…uh, going through some stuff at home."

"That's alright," Gilbert said.

* * *

><p>"They went this way!" Soul said. "Come on!" He and the others followed Vivi and Gilbert's trail.<p>

"Shit," said Izaya. "I hope we're not too late."

* * *

><p><em>"Vivi, where are we going?" Gilbert asked.<em>

_"You'll see," Vivi said in a singsong voice.  
><em>

* * *

><p>A little later, Soul, Maka, Tsubaki, Black*Star, Izaya and Savio caught up to Gilbert and Vivi. They watched as Vivi and Gilbert stopped in the center of a dirt road.<p>

"What do you think's going on?" Tsubaki whispered.

"I dunno," said Black*Star. "But I don't like it, not one bit."

* * *

><p>Gilbert looked around at his and Vivi's surroundings. "Where's the great place you were telling me about?"<p>

"Right here," said Vivi. "I've got a surprise for you."

"Well, when are you gonna show me?" Gilbert asked impatiently.

"Right…about…now," Vivi said.

Just then, a white van came up to the kids.

Gilbert looked at the van in surprise. "What's going on?" He was starting to get nervous.

The van doors slowly opened.

"Come on in," said Vivi. "The party's inside."

"Really?" asked Gilbert. He went close to the van's open doors and gasped when he saw the Gekkostate members inside. "Wh-what is this?"

"Sorry we…tricked you!" said Renton.

"What—?" Gilbert exclaimed. "Vivi, what's—Let go! Help!"

"Get his legs, Vivi!" Eureka shouted as Renton grabbed Gilbert's arms.

"Got 'em," said Vivi. "Ugh! Koza, you in there?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Vivi's friend, Koza, said.

'Help me out here! He's being difficult!" said Vivi.

"Got 'im," Koza said. He helped Vivi with holding Gilbert's legs and hauled him inside the van. Gilbert was still screaming, trying to fight his way out of Renton, Koza and Vivi's grasps.

* * *

><p>Black*Star, Tsubaki, Soul, Maka, Izaya and Savio all charged after the Gekkostate van.<p>

"Hold it!" said Black*Star. "Let Gilbo go, or you'll have to deal with the awesome Black*Star!"

"Buzz off, brat," said Eureka.

The kids and the Gekkostate fought and fought, the Gekkostate overpowering them due to the fact that they were older.

* * *

><p>Koza and Vivi were both holding Gilbert down.<p>

"Hold still!" said Koza.

"Help…help me…" Gilbert said as he struggled under Koza trying to restrain him. "Help!"

"Oh, shut up," said Vivi.

Gilbert looked up from the floor of the van and saw Vivi glaring down at him, holding something behind her back. "Vivi…why? I thought…I thought you were my friend…" He couldn't move anymore because Koza had tied his hands and feet.

"I'm not," Vivi said, still glaring at Gilbert. "You were the cause of my parents' stress for fourteen fucking years! They worked day and night trying to get to you, you little…!"

"Vivi…" Gilbert said weakly.

* * *

><p>Savio saw Vivi take out a mask with sleepy gas coming from it. "Gilbo, no!" he ran toward the van and jumped in.<p>

* * *

><p>"Vivi, don't—" Gilbert pleaded, but was eventually knocked out by the sleepy gas coming from the mask Vivi forced over his mouth and nose.<p>

"I'm not sorry," Vivi said. She dropped the mask, and Koza gagged Gilbert. Vivi and Koza sat down, and Renton and Eureka got in the front seats.

Koza closed the van doors, and Eureka drove quickly.

* * *

><p>"No!" Izaya, Maka, Soul, Black*Star and Tsubaki shouted. They ran after the van. Izaya and Black*Star grabbed on, but were thrown off when the van hit a speed bump.<p>

"Sorry, guys," Izaya said. "We tried."

"We have to tell Claus and my dad," said Maka.

"Come on, everyone," Tsubaki said.

The kids ran all the way back to town to inform Claus and Spirit of what happened.

* * *

><p>The van stopped.<p>

"We need to get some gas," said Eureka. "You guys want anything?"

"Coming," said Vivi. "Koza, come on."

"I'm coming," said Koza. He and Vivi jumped out of the van and went into the gas station with Renton and Eureka.

* * *

><p>Savio crept out of hiding and crawled over to an unconscious Gilbert. "Gilbo. Gilbo, wake up."<p>

Gilbert's eyes opened slowly, and he whimpered and tried backing away, not realizing that his friend was there to rescue him. His cries were muffled by the gag.

"Ssh," Savio said gently. "It's me. Savino. I'm here to save you." He took the gag off Gilbert and got to work untying him.

"Savino…" Gilbert said weakly and quietly.

"It's alright, I'll bring you back home," Savio said as he got Gilbert free. "There, you're free."

Gilbert tried to stand up, but wobbled. He was still dazed from the gas.

"Here, let me carry you," Savio said. He hoisted Gilbert on his back and jumped out of the van.

"Vivi betrayed me…why?" Gilbert asked.

"I dunno," said Savio. "Okay, hold on tight—_Oh, merda_." Renton, Eureka, Koza and Vivi were standing near the van now, glaring at Savio and Gilbert. "Gilbo, I'm gonna run now. Hold on tight, okay?"

"'kay," Gilbert said drowsily.

Savio started to run, but he and Gilbert were caught by Koza and Vivi, both of whom dragged them back to the van.

* * *

><p>"How did you get here?" Renton asked. He held Savio up by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall of the van.<p>

"Let Gilbo go," Savio said through gritted teeth.

Renton held Savio to the wall again, but not before the boy got a glimpse of Gilbert being bound and gagged again by Koza, Eureka and Vivi. "We're not letting him go. Tell me: How the hell did you get here?"

"None of your business, motherfucker," said Savio. He angrily spit in Renton's face. Renton wiped his face and dropped Savio on the floor of the van once the doors slammed shut and they were off once more.

"What should we do with him?" Koza asked.

"Tie him up, too," said Renton. "I just know he won't leave, so we'll bring him to Holland. He'll know what to do."

"Alright," said Koza. He got out some more rope and another cloth. He and Vivi held Savio down and bound and gagged him like Gilbert.

Savio squirmed and tried to yell "No!" when Vivi went over to Gilbert and took out a needle.

Gilbert whimpered and squirmed, trying to get away from Vivi.

"Relax, Gilbo," Vivi said gently. She held Gilbert's head down. "This won't hurt." She took the needle and injected a sedative into Gilbert that made the boy stop struggling and go to sleep.

"Gilbo!" Savio tried to say through his gag.

"Don't worry your head, kid," Koza said when he turned to face Savio, who had just tried to call his friend's name. "We didn't kill your friend." The way he said those words didn't sound sincere in the least.

Savio tried to get free of the rope binding him, but all that did was scrape his wrists and ankles.

"It's no use, boy," said Renton. "You're not getting out of that."

Savio sighed and resigned himself to sitting still and watching as Gilbert lay still, whimpering in his sleep. All he could do now was hope that Black*Star, Tsubaki, Maka, Soul and Izaya got to his and Gilbert's families in time.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> _Oh, merda_- Oh, shit (Italian)

Be prepared for angry Claus, Spirit, Ludwig, Kiku, Feliciano, Lovino, and possibly others in the next chapter!


	27. Operation: Rescue

**Chapter 27: Operation: Rescue**

_June 23, 1954_

Black*Star, Tsubaki, Maka, Soul and Izaya reached the Beilschmidt's house some time later. They ran towards the house and startled the occupants as they practically broke down the door upon entering.

"Papa!" Maka exclaimed as she ran to a confused Spirit.

"Maka, what's wrong?" Spirit asked.

"It's Gilbo," said Maka.

"What about Gilbo?" Claus asked, alarm in his voice.

"Where are Gilbo and Savio?" Elise and Gabriella asked frantically.

Maka and the others hung their heads.

"We're sorry," said Tsubaki.

"What?" asked Giuseppe. "What are you sorry about?"

Maka gulped.

"These guys in a white van took Gilbo," said Soul.

"No…no, Gilbo, no!" Elise cried. She buried her face into her husband's shirt and sobbed.

"What?" Claus and Spirit exclaimed angrily. Claus gave his wife a hug to try and comfort her, while Ludwig, Klara, Feliciano, Lovino, Kiku and the others gasped in horror.

"Vivi was with them!" Black*Star said.

"Vivi?" Ludwig asked in surprise. "Is she alright?"

"Yeah," said a furious Izaya. "She's the one who gave Gilbert to the guys!"

"What?" the Axis screamed.

"What about Savino?" Giuseppe and Gabriella asked desperately.

"I think they got him, too," said Maka. "The last time I saw him, he was helping us fight the guys who had Gilbo. We think maybe the guys took him, too. We're really sorry!"

"Savino…" Gabriella choked out.

"He's gone…I can't believe he's really gone...my little _bambino_," Giuseppe said in dismay as he and Gabriella huddled together and cried for their youngest child.

"Poor fratellino," Feliciano said sadly. He started to cry uncontrollably while Lovino tried to make him feel better.

"Those guys who took Savino…they're gonna die!" Lovino shouted. The tomato he was holding exploded when he squeezed it too hard.

"This is terrible," Claus said quietly while still trying to comfort poor Elise.

"What'll we do?" Elizabeta asked. She and Roderich, along with a now ten-and-a-half-year-old Hannah and her little brother, four-and-a-half-year-old Noah.

"Gilbo's my friend," Hannah said, trying not to get upset in front of little Noah. "We've gotta help him!"

"I can help," said Noah. He knew Hannah was sad, and he hated seeing his big sister like this.

Roderich's features darkened as he took in what had happened. "No, Noah. I know you want to help, but you're much too young."

"Spirit, come on," Claus said. He wiped his eyes, which were welling up with tears, then stood up.

"Where are we going?" asked Spirit.

"To get my son back," Claus said in a dark tone.

Roderich stood as well. "I'm coming, too."

"Me, too," said Elizabeta, joining her husband.

"We're coming, too," a very, very pissed off Ludwig, Kiku, Lovino and Feliciano said.

"Kids, I don't think—" Spirit began.

"Gilbo's my brother," Ludwig said, his fists clenched. "Don't tell me I can't go!"

"Lui—" Elise said.

"Sorry, Mom. But I'm going," said Ludwig.

"And Savino's our fratellino," said Lovino. He threw the remains of the squished tomato on the floor, and Blackie, Berlitz and Aster licked them up right away, being that they were dogs.

"Count me in," said Izaya.

"Me, too," said Black*Star.

Tsubaki, Maka and Soul were in on the rescue, too.

"Let me come, too," said Klara. "Dad, Lui, please."

"No, Klara," Ludwig said. "This'll be dangerous."

"You don't think I'm capable of going and saving our little brother?" Klara exclaimed, tears streaming out of her eyes.

"No, it's not that," Ludwig said quickly. He put his arms around Klara and sat her down. "It's not that, I promise. It's just that you're my baby sister, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you. Plus, Mom needs you here."

"Dad…" Klara said, looking at Claus with pleading eyes.

Claus sighed. "I'm afraid Lui's right. It's better you stay here." He then directed his attention to his eldest son. "Maybe you should stay here, too, Lui."

"I'm not staying, Dad," Ludwig said firmly. "When Gilbo was born, I made a promise to him that I would always protect him from the Gekkostate. That's who kidnapped Gilbo, right?"

"Uh, Vivi seemed to know them," said Tsubaki. "There was a guy named Renton, and a girl named Eureka among them."

"They're part of the Gekkostate," Claus said darkly. "Thanks, Tsubaki."

"You're welcome," said Tsubaki.

"Everyone who's coming with me and Spirit, let's go!" Claus announced. He gave Elise and Klara comforting hugs. "Don't worry. We'll get Gilbo back. I promise."

"Be careful," Elise said quietly.

"Hannah, you and Noah be good for Ellie, Gabby, Jose and Klara," said Elizabeta.

"Okay, Mom," Hannah said.

"Noah, mind your sister," Roderich told his son.

"'kay, Daddy," said Noah. He latched onto Hannah's skirt and watched as his parents left the house and headed out into the very late afternoon.

* * *

><p>"Operation: Rescue" was now officially in action. The search party—which consisted of Claus, Spirit (acting as Claus' bankai), the Axis, Roderich and Elizabeta, Soul, Maka, Black*Star and Tsubaki—got a police van from Daisuke and headed off to save Gilbert and Savio.<p>

* * *

><p>"I let you down, Gilbo," Ludwig said quietly. "I'm so sorry."<p>

"You didn't let him down," Feliciano said reassuringly.

"That's right," said Kiku. "Nobody knew this was gonna happen."

"You didn't let Gilbo down, son," Claus said. He looked sympathetically at Ludwig, who was beside himself with shame. "Nobody let anybody down."

"They probably took Gilbo to the Gekkostate's headquarters," Spirit said.

* * *

><p>The Gekkostate's van stopped in front of the Gekkostate HQ. It was evening now, and the sun was setting.<p>

* * *

><p>"Let's bring them in," said Eureka.<p>

Renton, Eureka, Koza and Vivi got out of the van and opened the back doors. Savio glared at them, and Gilbert had just woken up. He was very frightened still, but now he was just taking short breaths.

Renton and Eureka each grabbed Savio's arms and dragged him out of the van. Savio squirmed for a moment of two, but stopped. The same happened with Vivi and Koza, who each grabbed Gilbert by the arms and dragged him behind Renton, Eureka and Savino.

"Stop whining," Vivi said when she heard Gilbert groaning, possibly saying he wanted his mom and dad. "I'm sick of protecting you now, Gilbert Beilschmidt."

"You know, Gilbert, Vivi always got punished for defending you," Koza said coldly. "I didn't like that. I was glad when she decided to give you to the Gekkostate."

Gilbert felt stung by Vivi and Koza's words and hung his head.

* * *

><p>Renton, Eureka, Koza and Vivi walked into the headquarters with Savio and Gilbert in tow.<p>

"Vivi, you're back," a relieved Talho said. "Where have you been—You brought the Beilschmidt brat! That's a good girl."

"Vivi, where have you been?" Holland said. He ran over to his daughter, knocking Gilbert over in the process.

"I left you a note, saying I was with Koza, Renton and Eureka," said Vivi. "We were gonna get Gilbert. And you knocked him over, Dad. He's probably no good now." She cast an icy glare at Gilbert, who was whimpering again, this time in fear as Holland, Talho and the rest of the Gekkostate looked at him.

Holland saw Savio and went over to him, Renton and Eureka. He grabbed Savio's chin. "And who is _this_ kid?"

Savio jerked his head away from Holland, then glared back at him.

"His name's Savio Vargas," Vivi replied. "He's Gilbert's best friend."

"Savio Vargas, huh?" Holland said. "Sit them down, will you? Oh, and take their gags off, too."

Renton and Eureka forced Savio to sit in a chair. They took his gag off, and Savio growled in anger and fear.

Gilbert shook his head and tried to yell "No!" as Hap and Moondoggie forced him in a chair next to Savio. As soon as his gag was removed, Gilbert drew in a shaky breath and spoke for the first time since they had arrived there. "Wh-what do you w-want from me?"

Vivi got in Gilbert's face, making the poor boy scared even more than he already was. "We don't want anything, _Gilbert_."

"We have you now," said Talho.

"After thirteen and a half long years, we finally have you," said Jobs. He and the other Gekkostate members were surrounding Gilbert and Savio. "This alone will satisfy your parents' debt to us."

Gilbert was now confused. "Debt? What debt?"

"Oh, you don't know?" asked Holland. "In 1937, before you were even born, your mother and father came to us, asking for money to support their poor, starving children and your dear grandfather."

Gilbert wasn't so sure he wanted to hear anymore.

"So," Holland continued. "We gave your parents three full years to pay back the money we gave them. They had more than enough time to do so. But they never paid us back, so, in 1940, we told your father that if he didn't pay us back the long-overdue money, you—their third child—would belong to us."

Gilbert shuddered.

Savio saw Gilbert getting upset and glared at Holland. "Stop it! He doesn't want to hear anymore!"

Holland ignored the Italian teenager and continued. "Well, we would've had you…if your parents hadn't loved you so much to the point of leaving Munich to escape paying their debt. When we heard where you were, we tried countless times to get to you." He the grabbed Gilbert's chin and forced the boy to look into his eyes. "This time, we succeeded in that, thanks to my little girl here. It took a few years to convince her, but she knew that we really needed you. Now we have you, and you can't escape."

Gilbert jerked his head out of Holland's grip, then looked at all the Gekkostate members. "Please, let me go. I just wanna go home."

"Yeah, let him go," said Savio. "I don't know what you're talking about, but take _me_ as your payment instead."

"Sorry, but we can't do that. You're not Claus and Elise Beilschmidt's child, are you?" said Gonzy.

"No," Savio said quietly. He looked down at his bound feet.

"Okay," said Holland. "Enough talking." He grabbed Gilbert and cut the ropes binding him. Then he forced Gilbert out of the chair and held the child's hands behind his back to prevent any struggling that might ensue. Holland pulled out a gun and rammed it into Gilbert's back. "I'll show you to your cell. Move!"

Gilbert winced and grunted as Holland pressed the gun harder to his back and forced him to walk forward.

"Ken-Goh, Hap," said Holland. "Bring the Italian boy, too."

"Right," said Hap.

"Come on, kid," said Ken-Goh. He cut Savio's restraints and forced Savio forward, holding the boy's hands behind his back and pulling a gun on him.

* * *

><p>"Here's your new room," Holland said. He shoved Gilbert into a cell with white tiles and two cots with little more than a blanket and a pillow with no pillowcase decorating each of them. Savio was shoved in right after Gilbert.<p>

"You'll stay in here tonight," said Holland. "We're making _special _arrangements for the both of you for tomorrow." He slammed the reinforced steel door shut and put the heavy lock into place.

Gilbert looked like he was going to cry. He looked over at Savio, who was lying on his cot. "Savino?"

"What is it?" Savio asked. He turned when he heard Gilbert's upset voice.

"What do you think they mean by…" He gulped. "…_special _arrangements?"

Savio shrugged. "I dunno. But I don't like the sound of it."

* * *

><p>It was getting to be nighttime. Claus, Spirit and the others were following the Gekkostate's trail: the tire tracks they made on the dirt road. Just then, they heard something like a huge pop. The van stopped.<p>

"Oh no," Roderich said.

Claus got out. He saw that the van had two flat tires and cursed loudly, throwing sticks and rocks, kicking at the dirt. Then he sank down to the ground and broke down. "Gilbo…"

Spirit got out and tried to comfort his friend. "Claus, don't worry. We'll get Gilbo back, like you said."

"We won't, with these tires!" Claus exclaimed hysterically. "My boy's probably scared out of his mind, and I can't get to him!"

Spirit helped Claus off the ground. "Come on. Help me push this thing."

Ludwig got out of the van. "I'll help."

Claus had a brief flashback to when Ludwig had said the same words when he was just seven years old, when the family escaped Munich, escaped the Nazis and the Gekkostate. Back then, Ludwig had been much too little to help him push the car. Now, he was all grown up, and able to do so. "Okay, Lui. Come on, help us push this thing."

* * *

><p>Spirit, Claus and Ludwig all pushed the van to the nearest van and went to a mechanic. The mechanic said he wouldn't be able to get new tires for the van until the next day, so Claus and the others had to find a hotel to stay at.<p> 


	28. A New Lead

**Chapter 28: A New Lead  
><strong>

_June 24, 1954_

Holland threw the door to Gilbert and Savio's cell open. The boys got up off their cots and shook; Gilbert was shaking more than Savio, who was trying to put up a brave front.

"Come on, you two," Holland said darkly. "Time to go."

Gilbert gulped and followed Holland out of the cell, cringing when Holland grabbed his arm and pulled him along. He looked back at Savio, who wasn't moving and just stared defiantly at Holland.

"You, too, kid," said Holland. "Come on!" He grabbed Savio's arm and pulled him out of the cell. Then he led the boys down the same way they had come to the cell the previous night. "I have a guest here, and he wants to see what we've got." He felt Gilbert lagging behind to wipe his eyes. "Move!" He pulled at Gilbert's arm, making Gilbert yelp and trip over his own feet.

* * *

><p>Holland and the boys finally got to the main area of the HQ. Holland thrust the boys in front of him, this time holding on tight to their shoulders. Gilbert and Savio looked at each other nervously, then at the Gekkostate's "guest", a Russian man by the name of Ivan Braginski. On either side of Ivan were none other than…<p>

"Savino…look!" Gilbert whispered. He looked over at the four young men flanking Ivan. "Isn't that…?"

"Yeah," Savio whispered. "Feliks…and the Lorinaitis brothers!"

Gilbert and Savio saw that Toris, Eduard and Raivis—who were now twenty-one, nineteen and sixteen-going-on-seventeen years old—were shaking as they stood back with a pissed-off-looking, twenty-almost-twenty-one-year-old Feliks.

"Holland, who are these kids?" Ivan asked. He walked over to Holland and the boys.

"We brought these kids here last night," said Holland. "Now, about my stuff."

"Right," said Ivan. He turned to the three Baltic brothers and Feliks. "Toris, bring me my bag."

"Yes, Master Ivan," Toris said quietly. He grabbed a black duffel bag and quickly brought it over to Ivan.

"Toris…" Gilbert said as quietly as Toris addressed the Russian man whom he called "Master".

Toris looked quickly at Gilbert and Savio, then ran back to his friend and brothers.

"Here," said Ivan. He gave the bag to Holland, who let go of the boys and took the bag. "For both you and Talho."

Holland opened the bag Ivan gave him and looked over its contents. Inside the bag were a bunch of clothes that looked like they could belong to a pimp and his…for lack of a better word…hoe. Holland was satisfied with what Ivan had brought him, so he smiled. "Good merchandise, Ivan."

"About my payment…" said Ivan.

"Oh, right," said Holland. "How about you take one of these kids as payment?" He grabbed Savio and Gilbert again and held on tight so they wouldn't run away.

"Which one do you want?" asked Talho.

Ivan walked over to the boys and looked them over.

Gilbert and Savio were now both scared and shaking in their shoes as they took in the big man looking down on them.

Ivan gave a slight nod when he was done looking at both boys. "I'll take them both."

"Ah, good choice," said Holland. "Here, take them off my hands." He pushed Gilbert and Savio towards Ivan, who grabbed onto them and left them with Feliks and the Baltics.

Gilbert looked back at Vivi, who was standing with Koza. She didn't look sorry about what was happening. "Vivi…Vivi, please…" He still hoped (in vain) that Vivi would come to her senses and help him, Savio, Feliks and the Lorinaitis siblings.

"Goodbye, Gilbert," said Vivi. "And good riddance."

Gilbert looked down at the floor in total betrayal.

"Guys, would you escort these two to the van?" Ivan asked. "And wait for me there."

"Yes, sir," Toris and his brothers replied. Feliks just glared at Ivan and looked sorry for Gilbert and Savio.

"Come on, guys," Feliks said. He gently led Gilbert out of the Gekkostate's HQ, while Toris led Savio out.

* * *

><p>Feliks and Toris led the boys to the van and led them inside once Eduard and Raivis opened the doors.<p>

Once Gilbert, Savio, Feliks and the Baltics were inside the van, Feliks and Toris closed the doors.

"Gilbo, Savino," Feliks said in surprise. "Like, what are you guys doing here?"

"The Gekkostate came to Venice and kidnapped Gilbo," said Savio. "I stowed away to try and get him back home, but next thing I know, we were both being smuggled to their HQ. And what's worse, Vivi betrayed us."

"What would they want with Gilbo?" asked Eduard.

"That Holland guy said that it was because of some debt that Gilbo's parents owed them from 1940," Savio replied. "I tried to make them take me as payment instead, but they refused 'cause I wasn't Claus and Elise's kid."

"That bastard!" Toris said.

"Can't you guys just steal this thing and take us home?" Gilbert asked.

"Like, I totally wish we could, Gilbo," said Feliks. "But Ivan has the keys."

"Feliks, it's _Master _Ivan," Toris said in a scared voice.

"He's, like, not my master, Liet," said Feliks.

"You'll get beaten again!" Eduard warned.

"Do I look like I care anymore?" Feliks asked sarcastically.

Just then, Ivan showed up and got in the driver seat of the van. He started the vehicle and drove off to Moscow. They ended up having to stop at a rest stop in Estonia for the night. Feliks, Toris, Eduard, Raivis, Savio and Gilbert got nothing to eat, while Ivan ate all he wanted and more.

* * *

><p>"Feliks, I forbid you to wear that fucking nightgown!" said Ivan. "You're a boy, not a girl!"<p>

"It's, like, my nightgown, and I'll wear it if I want to, shithead!" Feliks retorted. He flipped Ivan off and walked away.

* * *

><p>"Get some sleep, you little shits," said Ivan. "Soon, we'll be in Russia, and you'll have a full day's work ahead of you." He walked away, leaving Savio and Gilbert alone.<p>

"What's gonna happen to us?" Gilbert asked Savio.

"I don't know," Savio replied. He looked worried. "I…don't know, Gilbo."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Claus, Ludwig, Feliciano, Kiku, Izaya, Lovino, Roderich, Elizabeta, Black*Star, Tsubaki, Soul, Maka and Spirit ran into Francis and Antonio, who were just coming back from a trip to Paris. After hearing what had happened, Francis and Antonio readily joined the search party, and they continued on their way until they reached the Gekkostate HQ.<p>

* * *

><p>Claus and the others barged into the HQ, where Vivi and Koza were playing video games with Moondoggie, Gidget, Renton and Eureka. The six got startled and looked up when they heard the door being broken down and the shouts of the angry search party.<p>

Holland and the other Gekkostate members came running into the main room, where they saw the search party.

"Claus," said Holland. "What a surprise." He smirked.

"Where is he?" Claus erupted. Spirit transformed into a Zanpakuto, and Claus took hold of him. "Where's my son?"

"Where's Gilbo?" Ludwig yelled. "I want my little brother! Give him back!" He charged at Holland and took the front of his shirt in his fists. "Give my brother back!"

"And where's Savino?" Lovino and Feliciano asked angrily.

"Give Savino back," Feliciano hissed.

"Holland!" Talho shouted. She knocked Ludwig off Holland, and the rest of the Gekkostate tackled the young man.

"Lui, no!" Kiku yelled. He charged at the Gekkostate with a real katana. "Let him go!"

"Kiku…don't," said Ludwig. He struggled under the weight of the Gekkostate, then finally managed to throw them off, while Kiku and—surprisingly—Feliciano helped him fight them.

"Bankai!" Claus shouted. Spirit became a Bankai, and Claus charged at the Gekkostate. He pointed Spirit at Holland and Talho. "Give my son back to me. Now, Holland!"

"Now, Claus, you know I can't do _that_," said Holland. "He served well for paying your and Elise's debt to us."

"Bastard!" Francis sneered. "Using a child just to make someone pay off some debt?"

"Soul!" Maka said.

"Right," said Soul. He transformed into a weapon, and he and Maka, along with Black*Star and Tsubaki, tried fighting Renton and Eureka, but were knocked back.

"They're too strong," said Tsubaki. "Black*Star, what are you doing?"

"I'm the awesome Black*Star! Nobody can beat me!" said Black*Star. He charged at Renton with Tsubaki, but was beat once again.

Now it was Izaya's turn to be angry. "Where are Gilbo and Savino? Tell me now, Vivi, you bitch!"

"You really wanna know?" asked Vivi. "Okay. Mom and Dad used Gilbert and Savio to pay for their pimp and hoe clothes."

Claus, Ludwig, Lovino and Feliciano were beyond pissed this time.

"Who has them now?" Lovino asked, his blood boiling.

"Like we'll tell you," Vivi spat.

Feliciano clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. Never before had he been so angry in his life, especially at a young girl. He grabbed Vivi's wrist and squeezed. "You better fucking tell us, now! I want my fratellino back!"

"Feli…" Lovino, Ludwig and Kiku said in surprise.

"Okay, okay!" said Koza. "Let go of Vivi, and I'll tell you!"

Feliciano threw Vivi to the floor, and the girl ran behind her parents. "Okay, I let the little bitch go. Now, tell me where they are!"

Ludwig, Kiku and Lovino ganged up on Koza as well. Claus and Izaya went up, too.

"A man named Ivan Braginski came and gave Holland and Talho their new clothes," said Koza.

"Koza, don't you dare—!" said Holland.

"Ivan wanted his payment up front, so they gave Gilbert and Savio to Ivan," Koza continued.

"Where are…where did this Ivan person take them?" Claus asked shakily. He looked like he wanted to die.

"Probably back to Moscow," said Koza. "He…he's got a big estate there, and he's probably using them as his slaves."

Claus dropped to his knees and dropped Spirit on the floor. Spirit immediately turned back into a human and tried helping Claus off the floor. Feliciano fainted, while Lovino caught him and Kiku tried waking him up. Ludwig was now inconsolable as he, too dropped to his knees and kept his eyes on the floor.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Roderich and Elizabeta had started a pimp-and-hoe fight with Holland and Talho.<p>

"My clothes are better than yours!" said Talho. "You call yourself a hoe? You're nothing compared to me." She bitch-slapped Elizabeta.

"Why you…biotch! Bring it on!" Elizabeta shouted. She bitch-slapped Talho back, and they both continued going at it.

"I've dated ten girls at the same time in high school," Roderich bragged angrily. "AND I can play the piano, and write my own music! I'm the pimpiest pimp who ever pimp'd!"

"Oh yeah!" Holland said. "Well, guess what? _I _dated over _sixteen _girls in _high school and college_! And I'm in the Gekkostate, dammit! Your prissy piano playing's got nothing on me!"

"Oh yeah?" said Roderich.

"Yeah!" said Holland.

The two pimps started a brawl, Vivi looking back and forth.

"Go, Mom and Dad!" said Vivi.

* * *

><p>"Alright, that's enough fighting!" said Antonio. He and Francis broke up the pimps and hoes, much to Vivi's disappointment. "Let's go, now!"<p>

The search party immediately ran out of the HQ. Almost all the Gekkostate members were injured or scared of the angry mob, especially Ludwig and the Vargas brothers.

* * *

><p>Claus, Ludwig and the others continued their trek to find Gilbert and Savio and bring them home. Unfortunately, they were low on gas, so they had to get gas and spend the night in a hotel in Estonia. Little did they know that Gilbert and Savio—along with Feliks and the Lorinaitis brothers—were somewhere near them. If they only knew…<p> 


	29. First Day, Gilbert Falls Ill

**Chapter 29: First Day, Gilbert Falls Ill**

_June 25, 1954_

Ivan, Feliks, the Lorinaitis brothers, Gilbert and Savio arrived at the huge Braginski estate sometime in the late afternoon/early evening.

"Everybody out," Ivan commanded. He got out of the driver seat of the van and slammed the door. Then he opened the back doors. "Come on. I said everybody out, now!"

"Come on, guys," Raivis said softly. He and his brothers hopped out of the van; Feliks got out right after. Gilbert and Savio were the last to get out.

Gilbert and Savio's jaws dropped when they saw the immense size of Ivan's estate.

"Whoa," Gilbert said in amazement, completely forgetting how scared he was for a few moments. "Savino…look…at…the…BIG HOUSE!" He tugged on his friend's shirt sleeve and pointed.

Savio looked in amazement as well. "I know…it's so…BIG! IT'S HUGE!"

"Come on," said Ivan. He grabbed Savio and Gilbert and pulled them along while they were distracted by the house's size.

* * *

><p>The inside of the house felt very cold, due to the owner of said house being an evil person. Gilbert and Savio shivered, while Feliks and the Baltics were used to it after two years of being held captive by this guy.<p>

"I'm so cold, Savino," Gilbert said. He was hugging himself to try and stay warm.

"I know, Gilbo," said Savio, also hugging himself for some warmth. "I'm c-c-cold, too."

"Shut the hell up," Ivan hissed. He turned and glared at his two new servants. "You're going to have to get used to this, because you're never leaving."

Feliks glared at the back of Ivan's head and gritted his teeth.

A young woman, the same age as Feliks and Toris, came out of one of the rooms. She stopped when she saw Ivan. This was Natalia, Ivan's younger sister. "Big brother! My love, you're back!" She ran over, pushed Feliks, the Baltics and the boys out of the way, and then latched onto poor Ivan.

"Get off me, Natalia!" Ivan shouted frantically. "Help meeeeeee!"

"Marry me! Marry me! MARRY MEEEEEE!" Natalia yelled. The last "Marry me" came out of her mouth in a sort of demonic voice.

"Go away!" said Ivan. He pushed Natalia off him. "Give these two some old clothes that we have lying around." He indicated Gilbert and Savio. "They're our new servants starting today."

"Alright, big brother," said Natalia. Her eyes shone when she looked at Ivan. "Anything for _you_." She grabbed Gilbert and Savio and dragged them along. "Come on, the both of you."

* * *

><p>About two hours later, Gilbert and Savio came out in what looked like rags but were actually some old, tattered clothes. They didn't look too happy about having their regular clothes taken away from them.<p>

* * *

><p>"Now, get to work, the both of you," Ivan said in a menacing voice. He pushed Savio towards the hallway, where there was a bucket of water and some rags. Then he forcefully dragged Gilbert—who was wiping his eyes and nose—towards the kitchen. "You know, Gilbert, you're lucky I'm in a good mood." He tightened his grip on the boy's wrist, which made Gilbert gasp. "Anymore of that sniveling, and I'll take this to your head and splatter your pretty little brains all over the walls." He held a faucet pipe to Gilbert's temple, emphasizing what he said.<p>

Gilbert gulped as Ivan opened a door and pushed Gilbert inside the kitchen, where he was to get to work washing dishes. He, like the other servants in that place, wasn't allowed to wear socks or shoes; Savio wasn't allowed to wear them, either, even though he was cleaning floors.

* * *

><p>The boys were later shown to the servants' quarters, which were unsanitary; they had to share the same room with Feliks, the Baltics and some other people Ivan had enslaved.<p>

* * *

><p>"I hate it here," a very weary Gilbert said. "It's so cold…and I'm hungry. I miss my parents. I miss Lui."<p>

"I know," said an equally weary Savio. He heard Gilbert sneezing and quickly looked over to where his friend was about to fall asleep. "You okay? Gilbo, are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah," Gilbert said, even more weary than he already was. "I'm fine…just a little tired." His eyelids became heavy.

"Like, don't fall asleep now," Feliks said frantically.

"Yeah," said Toris.

"Master Ivan's gonna be mad if he sees you sleeping," said Eduard. "Please don't fall asleep."

"I'm so tired…please…let me sleep…" said Gilbert. He gave in and closed his eyes.

"This always happens when he sneezes," said Savio. He walked over to Gilbert's mat and sat down by his feet, watching over his friend.

Ivan's elder sister, Katyusha, came in with a tray that had plates of food on them. "Here. I'm not supposed to give you guys this, but since Ivan doesn't know, it's okay."

"Gilbo, wake up," Savio said, gently shaking his friend. "We've got food."

"Huh?" asked Gilbert. He had a hard time getting up and needed some waking up from Raivis, who sang something that startled him. Raivis sang a song right into Gilbert's ear.

Raivis: _**IIIIIII**__** ain't got no boooody**_

_**And nobody cares-a-for-a-me**_

_**Ha-cha-cha-cha cha-cha-cha-cha-cha**_

"GAH!" Gilbert shouted. He finally awoke and glared at Raivis. "Raivis! Don't do that!"

"Here, eat this quickly before Ivan comes," said Savio. He thrust a plate of food at Gilbert.

Gilbert took a few bites of the food, then didn't have an appetite anymore. He put the plate down and lay back down on his mat.

"Gilbo, you have to eat more than that," said Savio.

"I can't," said Gilbert. "I don't feel good."

"I'm sorry, Gilbo," said Toris. He felt the boy's forehead. "You've got a tiny fever. I'll ask Miss Katyusha for some fever reducer, okay?"

"Okay," Gilbert mumbled in the Lithuanian-Estonian's arms. "Hey…guys…I can see music." He reached out towards what he thought were different colored vortexes. "I'm comiiiiing, futuuuuuure peoplllllllllle."

"Oh no," said Eduard. "Master Ivan's not gonna like this."

"Like, stop calling that bastard Master!" said Feliks. He knocked Eduard's glasses off his face. "And Ivan's, like, gonna have to deal with being one fucking servant short."

"AAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!" Gilbert screamed, jumping out of Toris' arms. He backed into a corner, scaring the rest of the servants. "It's…it's the ghost of Hitler! He's coming to get me! Help! Dad! Lui! No, don't go that way, Hitler's coming at me! Help!" he kept on running into the walls of the room, while Feliks and Toris got a hold of him.

Savio ran over to his friend and held him like a newborn baby, bundled up in the thin blanket that was resting on Gilbert's mat. "Gilbo, nobody's coming after you. Gilbo…calm down. It's me. Savino, remember?"

* * *

><p>"What's going on?" a scared Katyusha asked as soon as she threw the door open.<p>

"Gilbo's sick, Miss," said Toris. "Please, do you have any fever reducer?"

"Yes," said Katyusha. She raced out of the servants' quarters and came back minutes later with some liquid fever reducer.

Gilbert struggled for a few more moments and screamed about people coming to get him. Then he stopped and resorted to whimpering in Savio's arms. "Mommy…Mommy, I'm scared, Mommy."

"Ssh," Savio said soothingly. "Gilbo, it's Savino. Your mom's back in Venice. You'll see her very soon, don't worry. Now, take this." He held out a spoonful of the medicine to Gilbert.

Gilbert smiled wearily and drank the medicine until the whole spoonful was gone. Then he drifted off to sleep, and Savio laid him down on the mat, still wrapped up like a baby.

"Thanks," said Feliks.

"You're welcome," said Katyusha. "Poor kid." She looked at the only plate that had any food left on it. "Did he eat at all?"

"Not much," said Savio. "Only a few bites. He didn't have much of an appetite."

"Oh," said Katyusha. She collected the plates. "I hope he feels better soon." She gave a small smile, then exited the quarters.

"Why did you tell Gilbo he'd see his mom soon?" Toris asked in a whisper.

"I had to tell him _something_ to get him to calm down," said Savio. He looked over at his sleeping friend, who was saying things about "future people".

"But you didn't have to lie to him," said Eduard. "You know we won't see our moms anytime soon, if ever…do you?"

"You don't know that," Savio whispered tersely. "Claus could be on his way here for all we know."

"Let's hope you're right," said Raivis. He and his brothers sat back, and Feliks and Savio followed. Savio made doubly sure to stay close to Gilbert, who had now stopped talking in his sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>The song Raivis sang…I got that from the movie _Young Frankenstein_.

And yeah, Gilbert was hallucinating that stuff about vortexes, future people and Hitler. Blame the fever.


	30. Coming to the Rescue

**Author's Note: **Yay! 30th chapter!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 30: Coming to the Rescue<strong>

_June 26, 1954_

Claus and the others arrived in Moscow in the late afternoon/early evening after two days searching for Gilbert and Savio. They stopped in front of the huge estate that Koza had described to them.

"Whoa!" Ludwig exclaimed. "Dad, this place is HUGE!"

"Si!" Feliciano agreed.

"How are we gonna find Savino and Gilbo in this place?" Lovino asked.

"We will," said Spirit. "Trust me."

"I trust you, Papa," said Maka.

"Hey, Maka, nice to see you're friendly towards your dad again," said Soul.

"SHUT UP, SOUL!" Maka yelled. "Reaper Chop!" She karate-chopped Soul's head.

"Ouch!" Soul said. He rubbed his head. "What did ya do that for?"

"That's for saying I'm friendly towards my dad," said Maka. She didn't want to admit it, but she was closer to her dad at the moment.

"Come on, everyone," Claus said seriously.

"AAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!" Spirit screamed.

"Spirit! What's wrong?" asked Claus. Then he saw Francis groping Spirit. "Francis Bonnefoy, cut it out. _Bitte_."

"Sorry, Monsieur Beilschmidt," said Francis. He took his hands away from Spirit's butt.

"Now, let's go," said Antonio.

* * *

><p>Claus led the others into the vast estate of Ivan Braginski. They went down various hallways, where they saw a bunch of servants, but not Gilbert and Savio.<p>

* * *

><p>Just then, Lovino and Feliciano thought they saw a familiar figure racing past them with a bucket and rags in hand.<p>

"Come on, Feli," said Lovino. He grabbed Feliciano, and the both of them ran after the figure, who tripped and fell.

"Are you alright?" Feliciano asked the now shaking young boy. He and Lovino jumped back when they saw who the boy was:

"Savino!" the brothers exclaimed.

"Lovi? Feli?" Savio choked out. He let Lovino and Feliciano put their arms around him. "I knew you'd come!"

"Don't worry, we'll get you home," said Lovino.

"Where's Gilbo?" Feliciano asked.

"I think he's washing dishes again," said Savio. "Ivan wouldn't tell me where he took him. He's got a fever, too, but Ivan made him work anyway!"

* * *

><p>"Vanya, little brother, you really shouldn't make that boy work right now," Katyusha pleaded. "Please, let him rest."<p>

"No," said Ivan. "He's merely a slave; he's not allowed to rest. I'll work him to death if I have to."

"You're just the worst!' said Katyusha. Ivan slapped her.

"I won't have that kind of talk in my house! Do you understand me, woman?" Ivan erupted.

"Y-Yes, little brother," said Katyusha.

"Good," said Ivan. He then looked towards the kitchen. "I don't hear any dishwashing, boy!"

"_S-Sorry, Master," _Gilbert said from inside the kitchen.

"Katyusha, I'm gonna take a nap," said Ivan. "Make sure nobody slacks off, especially Gilbert."

"Yes, brother," said Katyusha. She walked out of the room, while Ivan went to his bedroom and lay down. He was about to fall asleep, when he thought he heard the distant sound of dishes breaking. "That insolent little…!" He got out of bed and stormed off to the kitchen, throwing the door open and closing it just as hard.

* * *

><p>"So many rooms!" Izaya said in frustration.<p>

"Where the hell are they?" Black*Star said.

Lovino and Feliciano came running with Savio in tow.

"You found Savino," Francis and Antonio said in relief.

"Francis, Tony!" Savio said. He ran towards his cousins and latched onto them, jumping back when he felt Francis grope him. "Cut it out, Francis! Gee, I'm reunited with you, Tony, Lovi and Feli, and already I get groped?"

"Sorry," said Francis. "I can't help it; I just like groping."

"Well, stop it," said Lovino.

"Gilbo! Where are you?" Ludwig called out. No response. "Shit. Savino, do you know where Gilbo is?"

"No," said Savio. "Ivan took him to another part of the house and wouldn't tell me where he took him. The worst part if that Gilbo's got a fever, and Ivan made him work anyway."

"Oh no," said Claus. He started to get really pissed.

"Claus, calm down," said Spirit. "We'll find Gilbo and get him back. Remember what you said?"

Just then, the search party heard the sounds of angry shouting and someone pleading and getting beaten.

"Spirit…Bankai, now," said Claus.

"Right," said Spirit. He transformed into a Bankai, and he and Claus—along with the others—set off down the hallway towards the sounds. They ran into Feliks and the Baltics, who were about to run and look for someone to help whoever was being beaten.

"Claus…? Lui…?" Feliks asked in surprise.

"You came," Eduard said in surprise.

"Of course we came," said Soul.

"Gilbo's in trouble," said Raivis. "Come quickly!"

"We were just heading that way," said Maka.

* * *

><p>Feliks and the Baltics led the search party down the hall towards the kitchen. It was here where they heard the screams and cries for help.<p>

"_You call that work?"_

"_I'm sorry, Master! I'm really sorry! Please, don't hit me! I'm sorry I broke them!"_

"_Sorry won't cut it!"_

Claus had to take ten deep breaths to regain his composure. Then he opened the door, and everyone was shocked at what they discovered.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>_Bitte_- Please (German)


	31. We're Going Home!

**Chapter 31: We're Going Home!**

_June 26, 1954_

"_You call that work?"_

"_I'm sorry, Master! I'm really sorry! Please, don't hit me! I'm sorry I broke them!"_

"_Sorry won't cut it!"_

Claus had to take ten deep breaths to regain his composure. Then he opened the door, and everyone was shocked at what they discovered.

* * *

><p>Gilbert was kneeling on the floor, shaking uncontrollably and crying. He looked up at Ivan with pleading eyes. 'Please…Master, please, don't hurt me. I'm sorry."<p>

Ivan glared down at the frightened boy and pulled out his faucet pipe. "I told you what would happen if you started that sniveling again. Turn those waterworks off, now, or else!"

"I c-c-can't," Gilbert said. "Please…I'm really sorry, I'll be careful."

"Too late," said Ivan. He raised his pipe above his head. Gilbert closed his eyes and silently prayed, waiting for Ivan to strike him on the head.

"Goodbye, Gilbert," Ivan said. The pipe started to lower towards Gilbert's head, until…

"Stop it!" Claus yelled. "Bankai!" He charged at Ivan, Spirit in one hand, and slashed the Russian's arm.

Ivan howled in pain and dropped the pipe. He now held his bleeding arm and glared at Claus. "Who the hell are you?"

"Let my son go," Claus growled.

Gilbert looked up from the floor. "Dad? Daddy!"

Ludwig looked shocked at the bruises on Gilbert. "Shit. Gilbo, come here, quickly." He sounded urgent.

"West!" said Gilbert. He got up to run over to his father and brother, but was stopped when Ivan grabbed his arm and held him tight. "Let go! Dad, Lui, help me!" He struggled in Ivan's grasp, but couldn't free himself.

"Let him go!" Izaya shouted. He grabbed a gun Ludwig had on him and aimed it at Ivan.

"Soul!" said Maka.

"Tsubaki!" Black*Star commanded.

"Right," said Soul and Tsubaki. They transformed into weapons.

"Daddy…help me," said Gilbert. Ivan was now holding a kitchen knife to the boy's throat.

Claus gripped Spirit's handle tighter. "Let my son go right now."

"Why don't you run him through?" asked Spirit.

"I can't," said Claus. "He's using Gilbo as a shield."

"That's correct," said Ivan. He started going towards a door that led to the basement, Gilbert still in front of him. "And if you try to stab me, you might end up killing your precious son." Izaya still had the gun trained on Ivan, while Antonio, Elizabeta and Kiku took out their weapons. Francis, Roderich, Lovino and Feliciano didn't have any weapons, of course; Lovino and Feliciano had tomatoes and a white flag at the ready, Francis just had his groping, and Roderich…well, he only had his piano skills.

"I'm warning you, you brute," said Roderich. "Release the kid, or else I'll express my anger through Chopin."

Ivan laughed. "Please." He held the knife closer to Gilbert, whose fever now made him waver in and out of sleep. "Chopin? He can't hurt me. He's dead. You're really lame." he now had the door to the basement open. "Now, all of you just put your weapons down and leave this place. If you do as I say, the kid lives."

Claus lowered Spirit.

"Claus, don't give in!" Soul said.

"Soul's right," said Maka. "He's probably gonna kill Gilbo anyway!"

"I can see music," Gilbert said out of the blue. "Daddy, don't go." He hallucinated Claus and Ludwig walking away from him. "Daddy, Lui, don't go!"

"Gilbo, we're right here," Ludwig assured his brother. "Izaya, give me that." He grabbed his gun from the teenager and got ready to pull the trigger.

Natalia and some guards came out of nowhere and ambushed Claus and the others, while Ivan made an attempt to escape with Gilbert.

"Daddy!" Gilbert shouted. "Daddy, Lui, help me!"

Ludwig heard his little brother calling for him, while Elizabeta hit Natalia, who was busy trying to punch Roderich in the face. "Dad, over here! Ivan's trying to escape!"

* * *

><p>Claus got away from the two guards he was fighting and ran towards where Ludwig was pointing.<p>

"I can't get a clear shot," Ludwig said in frustration. "He's still holding Gilbo."

* * *

><p>Soul and Maka managed to hit several guards at once, with the help of Tsubaki and Black*Star.<p>

"Nice one," said Maka.

"Thanks," said Black*Star.

* * *

><p>Izaya took down three guards at the same time, while Lovino and Feliciano kept Savio safe with them on the sidelines. Francis tried to get away from the guards, while Antonio and Kiku ran a couple of them through.<p>

"I…I can't believe I actually killed someone," Antonio said in shock.

"I know," said Kiku. He was as shocked as Antonio. "I never thought I would have to do this."

* * *

><p>Elizabeta took down two more guards that were trying to get at Roderich and his face and glasses.<p>

* * *

><p>"Ivan Braginski!" Claus shouted over the racket. "Let my son go, you coward!"<p>

"Let him go, Brother," Katyusha said, much to Ivan's surprise.

"Katyusha," said Ivan. "Get back to watching over the slaves, now."

"No," said Katyusha. "Let the boy go!"

"How dare you…you'd side with this guy?" asked Ivan. He made Gilbert gasp by slightly nicking him on the cheek with the knife while getting a tighter hold on the boy.

"Yes, I would," said Katyusha. "I'm sorry, but I won't tolerate you enslaving people anymore, Brother."

"I won't let him go," Ivan hissed. "He's mine, and nobody's getting him back! Come on, brat." He continued dragging Gilbert towards the basement.

"No…help me, please," said Gilbert. He tried digging his bare heels into the floor, but it didn't work. The fever made him feel weak and delirious, so he couldn't fight the big man holding him.

"That's it!" said Claus. "Get ready, Spirit!"

"Right," Spirit said aggressively.

Claus charged at Ivan with Spirit in his hands, but stopped when he saw Francis now groping Ivan. This startled Ivan, and the man accidentally cut Gilbert again.

Gilbert cried out when Ivan cut him. Now he had a small amount of blood running down the same cheek Ivan had cut earlier.

"Gilbo!" Claus shouted.

"Monsieur Beilschmidt! Now!" said Francis. "Hurry, before he throws me off!" He still had his hands on Ivan's butt.

"Please stop groping my brother," Katyusha said, but she wasn't heard over the commotion.

Claus charged at Ivan again, this time stabbing the Russian and making him let go of Gilbert. Gilbert fell to his knees, and Claus picked him up while watching Ivan fall to the floor. The fight stopped, as almost all the guards were killed, and Natalia and some other guards were injured. "Gilbo, thank God."

"Daddy," said Gilbert. "Ivan…he kept telling me you wouldn't come."

Feliks and the Baltics went up to the father and son in the kitchen. They jumped back when they saw Ivan lying on the floor. Feliks went over to Ivan and felt for a pulse.

"Is…is my little brother…dead?" Katyusha asked worriedly.

"No," said Feliks. "He's, like, totally unconscious, though."

Katyusha sighed in relief. She may have hated what Ivan did, but she didn't want him dead. After all, he was her one and only baby brother.

"Lui, the fight's over," said Claus. Spirit transformed back into human form.

Ludwig dropped his gun when he saw Claus coming out of the kitchen, carrying Gilbert. He ran over to his father and brother. "Gilbo, thank God you're okay."

"Lui…why are ya covered in sparkles?" Gilbert asked, his words slurred.

"Spakrles…?" Ludwig asked. "Oh no. The fever." He felt Gilbert's forehead.

"I wanna go home," said Gilbert.

"Don't worry," said Claus. "We're gonna get you home, son."

"Where are his clothes?" Ludwig asked, noting the ragged clothing Gilbert was wearing.

Katyusha brought out Gilbert and Savio's clothes as she called an ambulance for her brother, sister and the guards who weren't killed. "Here. Take them." She handed them to the search party.

"Let's get these guys outta here," Claus said. The search party also brought along Feliks, Toris, Eduard, Raivis and a bunch of other people who were once enslaved by Ivan. The servants who stayed were the only ones who had willingly gone to the Braginski estate to work; they, apparently, had been given better living quarters than the slaves, most of whom were Poles, Czechs, Hungarians, Lithuanians, Estonians and Latvians.

* * *

><p>The people whom Ivan had enslaved, other than Feliks, the Baltics, Gilbert and Savio, went back to their home countries as soon as they could get some mode of transportation to said countries, while Claus and the others took Feliks, the Baltics and the boys to a hospital in Estonia. They would stay there for about a week to ten days at the most, so they could fully recover.<p>

* * *

><p><em>July 6, 1954 (ten days later)<em>

Feliks, Toris, Eduard, Raivis, Gilbert and Savio were discharged from the hospital. Claus packed them and the others into the police van, and everyone was headed back to Venice. Gilbert, Savio, Feliks and the Lorinaitis brothers were all now back home, safe and sound, amid cries and tears of joy from their families and friends. Feliks, Toris and Eduard decided that they wanted to take some more time to live at home before setting off to college; that was perfectly alright with their parents, of course, since they hadn't seen them in literally two years. And Mykolas and Rasa lorinaitis had decided that that school year, they would home school Raivis, because they didn't want him leaving their side for a long while, at least not until September of the next year.


	32. Moving On, Gilbo's Birthday

**Chapter 32: Moving On, Gilbo's Birthday**

_October 25, 1955_

Gilbert ran after Savio. "Savino! Wait up, hold on!" School had just gotten out for the day, and Savio had, without warning, started running. "Savino, what's going on?"

Savio laughed. "Hurry up, slowpoke!"

Gilbert chuckled, then panted as he ran to keep up with his friend. "I'm coming."

They both were now on their street, and were headed towards the Beilschmidt's house.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the house, Ludwig, Kiku and Feliciano (all now twenty-two years old) were helping their families and friends set up for something special: Gilbert's fifteenth birthday party.<p>

Feliciano stopped helping with the food when he saw Lovino with his fiancee, Ariella. "Lovi, when are you and Ariella gonna tie the knot, fratello?"

Lovino rolled his eyes at Feliciano. "I told you, we're not getting married until next year, idiota."

"Feli, we need you," said Kiku. He pulled Feliciano back into the kitchen, where Ludwig and Nina were helping with making Gilbert's favorite cake, triple chocolate with chocolate frosting and chocolate sprinkles on top.

"Do you think Gilbo will like this?" Nina asked.

"Of course he will," Ludwig replied with a big grin. "This is _Gilbo _you're talking about. He _loves _chocolate cake."

"Actually, Lui, Gilbo loves _anything _chocolate," said Klara. She and Lisanna, Gilbert's girlfriend since the start of high school, were helping with putting party decorations up, while Izaya, Renji and Black*Star were busy bothering Ciel, Elizabeth, Soul and Maka. Tsubaki was trying to get the bothering trio to stop bothering people.

"Ellie, hurry!" said Gabriella. "The food's gonna burn!"

Elise rushed to the kitchen and got the food out just in time, while Giuseppe and Claus were both keeping a vigilant eye out for Savio, who was supposed to bring Gilbert to the house for the party.

Francis groped Roderich right in front of a twelve-year-old Hannah and a six-year-old Noah, while Antonio covered the children's eyes and Elizabeta hit Francis on the head with a frying pan.

* * *

><p>A little later, when Francis was done with his epic fail groping rampage, everything was ready for Gilbert's birthday party. As if on cue, Savio threw the door open.<p>

"Gilbo, hurry up!" said Savio.

Gilbert sped up and caught up with Savio, who led him through the front door of the house.

"Happy birthday, Gilbo!" everybody shouted the second Gilbert set foot in the house.

Gilbert jumped back, then smiled with glee. "Wow!" He rushed over to the presents, cake and other party stuff. "This is AWESOME!"

"Alright, birthday boy," Ludwig said. "Relax and have some fun…but you and Lisanna…no _funny _business, okay?"

"Aw, Lui," Gilbert groaned. "It's my birthday."

"Nein," said Ludwig. "No funny business; I know what you're thinking. You're not being like Roderich."

"Why?" asked Gilbert. "What did Roderich do?"

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING," Roderich lied. Truth to tell, Roddy was the pimpiest pimp that ever pimp'd, second to Holland.

"Yeah, right," said Klara. "We all know about your pimpiness."

"Shut up!" said Roderich.

* * *

><p>After cake, ice cream and a lot of other food and games, Gilbert went right to work opening his presents, all of which he called "Awesome!" or "Cool!"<p>

"Thanks, everyone!" said Gilbert. "I love them."

Claus smiled. "Hold it, birthday boy." He had his hands behind his back, hiding something. "There's one more." He then pressed the present into Gilbert's hands and closed them. "Now, open your hands, son."

"Huh?" Gilbert asked. Curious as to what his father just gave him, he opened his hands, revealing a small, yellow bird that looked like a ball of fluff. Gilbert smiled at his present. "Awww! He's so cute!" He looked at his family. "Thanks! I love 'im!"

"We're so glad, Gilbo," said Elise.

"What are you gonna name him?" Black*Star asked.

Gilbert thought a minute. "Tweety."

"Tweety?" asked Maka.

"Yeah," said Gilbert. "'Cause he's so cute, and he's a little yellow bird." He nuzzled the bird against his cheek. "Aren't you, Tweety?"

"Oh, Gilbo," Ludwig said. "Here's something else." He gave his baby brother another present.

"I wonder what this is," said Gilbert. Then he opened the box, which had holes punctured on top. The interior of the box revealed a small, light brown hamster that had poofy fur. "Wow! A hamster! Now Tweety'll have a hamster friend!" He grinned and held the cute animal. "He's so adorable. I'll name him Poofy."

"That's a cute name!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Only the _cutest_ pets should be owned by the Beilschmidt family."

"Not to be rude or anything, but what the hell kind of name is Poofy for a rodent?" asked Ciel.

"His name only amplifies his cuteness," said Gilbert. "And I'm naming him Poofy 'cause he looks like a poofball. Poof." He gave his new hamster a pet, then affectionately nuzzled him. "Thanks, bro."

"You're welcome," Ludwig said. "Oh, thank Feli and Kiku, too; they helped pick out the hamster."

"Wow, really?" asked a happy Gilbert. "Thanks, guys!"

"You're welcome, Gilbo-chan," said Kiku. He couldn't resist the urge to pet Poofy and Tweety.

"You're welcome, Gilbo," said a cheerful Feliciano.

* * *

><p>The rest of Gilbert's birthday party was a blast; Gilbert, Izaya and Savio even played a game they made up: Pin The Tail on the Holland, using a picture of Holland with devil horns and a pitchfork drawn on it.<p>

* * *

><p>Things were back to normal for the Beilschmidt family and their friends after the ordeal with Ivan and the Gekkostate.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>I called Gilbird "Tweety" because I thought Tweety was a cute name for the bird. Also, I made up Poofy the hamster so that Tweety would have a friend, and because (according to the Hetalia Wikia page) Gilbert has a weakness for cute things, like Kiku does.


	33. Omake: In the Future

**Author's Note: **Here is the final chapter of _The Misadventures of the Little Axis_.

Enjoy ^_^

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 33: Omake: In The Future<strong>

_May 24, 2011, Brooklyn, New York_

3:48 p.m.

Seventeen-year-old Lucy Heartfilia rushed out the doors of James Madison High School, cell phone in hand and her backpack slung on her back by one strap.

Lucy's cell rang, and she immediately answered. "Hiya, Grandpa."

"_Lucy, where are you?" _Ludwig asked on the other end of the phone. _"It's almost four, and school let out an hour ago. Are you okay?"_

Lucy laughed. "I'm fine, don't worry. Uh, some kids did something stupid in class, so we had to stay for an extra hour cleaning up."

"_Oh," _Ludwig said. _"That's a relief; I thought something happened." _

"Gotta go, Grandpa," said Lucy. "See ya."

"_Auf Wiedersehen," _Ludwig replied. He hung up on his end, while Lucy hung up her phone and went to go meet her friends, Gray Fullbuster and Natsu Dragneel. Gray was Feliciano and Triela Vargas' grandson, and Natsu was Kiku and Haruka Honda's grandson. Lucy, Gray and Natsu called themselves "The American Axis".

Lucy ran to the subway and took it to Manhattan, where she met Gray and Natsu at a mall.

* * *

><p>4:15 p.m.<p>

"Lu, you're late," said Natsu.

"Sorry about that," said Lucy. "I had to spend, like, an extra hour cleaning up the classroom because of some other doofuses, and—"

"Yo, yo, yo!" Ace Beilschmidt, the grandson of Ludwig's little brother, Gilbert, exclaimed as he and his twin sister, Lexi, approached the American Axis.

'_Oh, no,' _Lucy thought.

'_The Beilschmidt twins again?' _Gray thought as he rolled his eyes at Ace and Lexi.

"Lexi and Ace in the hizz-ouse!" shouted Lexi.

"Ahem," said Ace. "Lexi, it's not _Lexi and Ace_. It's _Ace and Lexi_, stupid."

"No, it's Lexi and Ace, dummy head!" said Lexi.

* * *

><p>Ace and Lexi Beilschmidt were Lucy's second cousins due to Gilbert and Lisanna being Lucy's great-aunt and great-uncle; their son, Christopher Beilschmidt, was Lucy's first cousin once removed. Lucy loved her cousins to death (they were eleven years old, six years younger than her), but she hated it when they would bring out the Prussian in them.<p>

* * *

><p>Lucy sighed. "Where's Wendy when you need her?" she mumbled to herself as Ace and Lexi stopped in front of the trio and brofisted. Lucy was, of course, referring to Wendy Marvell, her other second cousin, the daughter of her other first cousin once removed, Jennifer Marvell, whose mother was Lucy's great-aunt, Ludwig's little sister Klara. Wendy—who was twelve—was the most mature out of herself, Ace and Lexi, so Lucy found herself able to tolerate Wendy more than the twins.<p>

"So, whatcha doin'?" Ace asked.

"Oh, nunya," Gray said nonchalantly. "Nunya business, ha-ha!"

"Gray, grow up," said Lucy. "Ace, Lex, why don't you two just…I dunno…go do whatever it is you do?"

"Aw, but no one wants our awesomeness around," Lexi whined. "Take us with youuuuuu, Luuuuuuuu!" She and Ace latched onto Lucy's arms, weighing the teenager down.

"Guys, cut it out!" said Wendy. "There you are. Sorry about them, Lu." She wrestled Ace and Lexi off Lucy.

"Thanks, Wendy," said Lucy. She felt relieved to have her arms back. "Gray, Natsu, come on."

Lucy, Gray and Natsu, followed by Wendy and the twins. To Lucy's chagrin, wherever she and her friends were, Ace and Lexi were.

* * *

><p>4:45 p.m.<p>

"Yeah! Manga, woot!" the twins screamed at the top of their lungs, disturbing people in Walden Books when Lucy, Gray and Natsu were looking at manga.

"Wow, Naruto!" Ace screamed in Lucy's ear.

"Stop it!" said Lucy. "Get out of my face, stupid!"

"Ooooohhhhh, I'm telling your mooom," Ace said accusingly. He pointed right at Lucy, who slapped his hand away.

"Don't point at me either," said Lucy.

"LUCY, LOOK, THEY HAVE TOKYO MEW MEW!" Lexi screamed really, really loudly.

"Oh no," Lucy said and face palmed.

* * *

><p>The manager of Walden Books came up to the kids, glaring at them. "WILL YOU ALL SHUT UP?" he yelled.<p>

"Uh…what's the problem, sir?" asked Lucy.

"What's the problem?" the manager parroted Lucy's words. "You and your friends, that's what! Now, get out, right now!" He had a security guard chase them out, and they bumped into more people, eventually running into a felon on the run.

"Hello, kiddies," the guy said with a grin.

"Oh no…that Braginski guy…of the RUSSIAN MOB!" Natsu exclaimed. "Run!" He and the others took off in a flash, trying to get away from Braginski.

* * *

><p>"What's Nikita Braginski doing here?" Lucy asked in a frightened voice. "I thought he was in prison!"<p>

"He was," said Gray. "But he escaped somehow! He's coming behind us, run!"

The kids ran all around the mall, Braginski on their tail. They went up and down escalators, Braginski frightening people and causing others to get out their cells and call the cops.

* * *

><p>4:59 p.m.<p>

The kids screamed and ran through the food court, ordering big soft pretzels and sodas while on the run. Then they all ran into the men's bathroom and hid in the big stall reserved for people in wheelchairs.

Lucy, Gray and Natsu's cells rang at the same time.

"Hello?" said Lucy.

"Oh, hi, Grandpa," said Gray. He was scared shitless as he bit into his pretzel.

"Can't talk now, Gramps," said Natsu. "W-We're in a stall in the men's bathroom. Yes, even the girls."

"Yes, you heard Natsu right," Lucy told Ludwig. "There's this guy chasing us, that's why. It's Nikita Braginski of the Russian Mob. Grandpa, don't worry about…I don't want you to hurt yourself…I'm pretty sure the cops are looking for him; he just escaped from prison, after all. Grandpa, don't hang up…man." Ludwig had hung up, so Lucy shut her phone.

The kids heard the bathroom door being thrown open and tried to be quiet. They saw Braginski's boots from under the stall door.

* * *

><p>5:08 p.m.<p>

"What'll we do, Lu?" Lexi asked.

"I know," said Gray. "We'll do the Italian thing: Surrender, sleep, eat and sing."

Lucy hit Gray on the head. "Natsu?"

"If he tells us to surrender, I'll do the Japanese thing and say one thing but mean something else," said Natsu.

"Right…" said Lucy. "But we've gotta fight, at least until the cops come."

Wendy started to get teary-eyed; she had always been a crybaby. "But you'll get hurt, Lu."

"You're talking to Lucy Heartfilia here," said Lucy. "I won't go down so easily. Wendy, you and the twins stay back…oh no."

The stall door was thrown off its hinges, and Braginski was there, a gun in hand. He grinned at the kids.

"Guess it's just you and me, kiddies," said Braginski. "I'll kill you three"—he gestured his gun at the American Axis—"for what your grandparents did to my grandpa Ivan all those years ago."

Lucy, Gray and Natsu gulped.

"Goodbye, little children," Braginski said coldly. He raised his gun to shoot the trio, until…

* * *

><p>5:11 p.m.<p>

"GOTCHA!" Ludwig shouted. He tackled Braginski to the ground, while Kiku and Feliciano got the frightened and shocked kids out of the stall.

"I smell pretzels," said Feliciano.

"We bought pretzels and soda while on the run, Gramps," said Gray. He offered a piece to Feliciano. "Want some?"

"Grazie!" said Feliciano. He took the piece of pretzel his grandson offered him and popped it into his mouth.

Ludwig and Feliciano looked a lot like their grandfathers, while Kiku looked a little bit like he did in 1955, but a lot older.

"Are you okay?" Ludwig asked Lucy.

"We're okay," said Lucy. "Thanks, Grandpa."

"The cops are coming," said Kiku.

"Let's get you out of here," said Ludwig. "Grandma's waiting for you at home, Lu."

"'Kay," said Lucy.

A bunch of cops burst into the bathroom, while Ludwig, Kiku and Feliciano got the kids out. The cops arrested Braginski for breaking out of prison and put him back in, while the Axis went home with the kids.


End file.
